FOUNDED  BY  JOHN  D.  ROCKEFELLER 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on 
the  Ten  Commandments 

TEXT,  NOTES  AND  INTRODUCTION 


A  DISSERTATION 

SUBMITTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL  OF  ARTS  AND 

LITERATURE,  IN  CANDIDACY  FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF 

DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 


DEPARTMENT    OF   ENGLISH 


BY 

JAMES  FINCH  ROYSTER 


CHAPEL  HILL,  N.  C. 

(Sift  TUnxbiVBit^  yivtss 

1911 


Vo 


M 


FOUNDED  BY  JOHN  D.  ROCKEFELLER 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on 
the  Ten  Commandments 

TEXT,  NOTES  AND  INTRODUCTION 


A  DISSERTATION 

SUBMITTED  TO  THE  FACULTY  OF  THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL  OF  ARTS  AND 

LITERATURE,  IN  CANDIDACY  FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF 

DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 

DEPARTMENT    OF    ENGLISH 


BY 

JAMES  FINCH  ROYSTER 


CHAPEL  HILL,  N.  C. 
1911 


INTRODUCTION^ 


111  the  deed  of  gift  of  his  book  to  Roger  Stonysdale,  one  of  the 

chuntry    priests  of    St.    Nicholas'    Church    at    Newcastle-upou-Tyne 

(p.  9),  the  scribe  calls  it  "hoc  primarium."      In 

I.  contents   Lacy's    "primarium"    agrees   with   the 

The  Prymer.  service  book  commonly  known  as  the  Prymer. 
Mr.  Littelhales  ^  gives  the  following  table  of  con- 
tents for  the  Prymer,  the  one  met  with  in  a  large  number  of  Mss. 
examined  by  him  :  1)  Hours  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  2)  Seven 
Penitential  Psalms,  3)  Fifteen  Gradual  Psalms,  4)  Litany,  5)  Office 
cf  the  Dead,  6)  Commendations.  This  matter  the  Prymer  invariably 
contains.  In  addition  to  these  offices,  many  copies  of  the  Prymer 
have  various  other  devotions  and  forms  of  religious  instruction  not 
included  in  the  original  plan  of  the  book.  There  is  no  absolute 
uniformity  regulating  what  this  matter  shall  be,  but  it  is  usually  those 
things  which  the  Church  thought  it  incumbent  upon  the  laity  to 
know  :  the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins,  the 
Seven  Sacraments,  etc.  to  which  there  are  often  added  tracts  on 
various  subjects.  In  the  "primarium"  described  here  the  added 
matter,  except  the  translation  of  St.  Jerome's  Epistle  Ad  Demetria- 
dem,  is  that  commonly  found  in  the  Prymers. 

Later  the  Prymer  came  to  be  not  so  much  a  book  of  monastic 
devotion  as  a  book  of  religious  instruction  for  the  people — "the 
prayer  book  of  the  educated  laity."  '  The  compiler  of  this  Primarium 
was  not,  however,  making  a  service  book  for  the  use  of  the  people. 

^  For  a  description  of  the  ms.  see  pp.  5-7. 

■•'  The  Frymer,  or  Lay  Folks  Mass  Book,  Pt.  II,  pp.  xxxix,  EETS.  Cf. 
Maskell,  Mon.  Put.  Fed.  Angl.  18iG,  III;  Littelhales,  H.,  T  he  Frymer  of  the  Lay 
Feople  in  the  Middle  Atjes.  For  a  summary  of  the  bibliography  of  the  Prymer  cf. 
Brown,  C.  F.,  Modem  Fhilology,  III,  p.  481,  note. 

*  The  Prymer  was  early  translated  into  English  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  did 
not  understand  Latin.  Cf.  Swete,  H. ,  Services  and  Service  Books,  pp.  112-113; 
Brown,  he.  cit.,  p.  48L 

iii 


239319 


iv  James  Finch  Royster 

He  compiled  it  for  his  own  use,  (fo!.  101  b.,  p.  9),  "and  aftur  to 
othur  in  exitynge  hem  to  devocion  and  preyers  to  god,"  and  wills  it 
to  a  chantry  priest  of  his  own  town  to  be  kejDt  perpetually  in  St. 
Nicholas'  Church. 

The  Primarium  was   begun    as  early  as  1420    and   completed,   at 
the  latest,  by  the  year  1434.      On  fol.  16  b.,  col.  1,  there  is  a  half 
page  miniature  of  one  imprisoned  praying  to  the 
II.    The  Date.     Virgin  ;  the  prisoner  holds  a  flowing  scroll  contain- 
ing writing,   the  greater  part  of  which   has  been 
erased;   under  this  scroll  is  the  date  M.CCCCXX.     On  fol.  1  ("in 
fronte    codicis")    we    find,     "Anno    domini   mileshno.       CCCC    mo 
xxxiiij."     The  year  1434  may  rightly  be  taken  as  the  extreme  date 
for   the    completion    of  the   MS.     The    composition    may    well   have 
extended  over  a  period  of  fourteen  years. 

Friar   John    Lacy,   a   member  of  the   order  of  Friars  Preachers, 

dwelling  at  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  in  the  first  half  of  the  15th  century 

was  the  compiler  of  the  Primarium.     This  much 

III.  information  concerning  the  writer  the  manuscript 

The  Scribe.      itself  gives  us  :  On  fol.  1  he  speaks  of  himself  as 

' '  lohannis  lacy  anachorite  de  ordine  fratrum  pre- 

dicatorum  noui   Castri  super    Tynam"  ;    on  fol.    101  as   "frere   Ion 

lacy  Anchor,  and  Reclused  in  }'e  new  castel  upon  tynde  "  ;    on  fol. 

16  b.,  we  find  "  x]>e  lacy  "  ;  at  the  bottom  of  fol.  17,  "  Lacy  scripsit 

et  llluniinat^'  ;  and  on  fol.  151,  the  name  "  Lacy." 

To  these  meagre  items  of  biography  I  am  able  to  add  nothing  of 
consequence.^     Mr.  Welford*  notes  that  "  a  John  Lac}^  is  mentioned 

'  There  is  no  mention  of  John  Lacy  in  the  series  of  articles  on  the  Black  Friars 
in  England  in  the  Reliquary,  76-89  ;  in  the  Arckeological  Journal,  1880-1884  ; 
Quetif  and  Echard,  Scriptores  ordinis  praedicatorum  ;  Brand's  History  of  Newcastle  ; 
Tanner's  Bibliolhtca  ;  Jocher's  Allgemeincs  Gelehrter  Lexicon  ;  Bale's  Index  ;  or  in 
any  of  the  books  of  tlie  kind  available.  Miss  L.  Toulmin  Smith  has  kindly 
aided  me  in  my  search  for  any  notice  of  this  mediaeval  penman — unfortunately 
without  result.  Miss  Smith  informs  me  that  a  certain  John  Lacy  held  an  office 
in  tlie  port  of  London  in  1423.  Clearly  this  is  another  man.  The  name  Lacy 
was  a  common  one,  especially  in  the  North  of  England. 

^  Arch.  AeL,  series  lir,  80.     Cf.  also  Welford,  Newcastle  and  Gateshead,  I,  292. 


\         A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the   Ten  Commandments       v 

in  a  deed  of  January  2nd,  1432  as  one  of  the  executors  of  tlie  will  of 
Eichard  Clederhowe  "  of  Newcastle.  The  identification  of  this  John 
Lacy  with  the  John  Lacy  of  the  Prymer  is  not  excluded  by  the  fact 
that  he  was  at  the  same  time  a  Dominican  Friar  and  the  testator  of  a 
will,  for  the  probation  of  wills  fell  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
ecclesiastical  courts,  and  was  one  of  the  powers  of  the  church  tribunal 
against  which  the  people  at  this  time  most  loudly  complained.'  This 
bare  piece  of  information  does  not,  however,  aid  us  in  determining- 
how  far  Lacy  resembled  the  Friar  of  Chaucer's  Prologue,  or  in 
allowing  us  to  judge  whether  he  was  one  who  deserved  the  strictures 
passed  upon  the  Friars  by  the  author,  or  authors,  of  Piers  the  Plow- 
man. There  is  no  evidence  to  inform  us  whether  or  not  he  was  a 
typical  member  of  his  order,  who  made  his  way  over  his  circuit 
granting  absolution  for  "a  pair  of  old  shoes  and  a  dinner,"  who 
knew  how  to  cozen  the  women  and  make  himself  "  biloved  and 
famulier  ....  with  frankelyns  over-al  in  his  contree. " 

The  indications  in  the  MS.  that  John  Lacy  copied  the  Treatise  on 

THE  Ten  Commandments  into  his  Primarium  rather  than  composed 

it  are  many.^     Every  page  gives  evidence  of  errors 

IV.  made  in  copying  and   corrections  inserted  in  re- 

Authorship.      vision.      No  other  version  of  the  same  treatment  of 

the  ten  commandments  exists  in  Middle  English, 

so  far  as  I  know,  and  no  original  from  which  Lacy  copied  has  yet  been 

printed.     There  can  be,  under  the  circumstances,  no  speculation  as  to 

the  identity  of  the  author.     Any  well  meaning  priest  might   have 

written  the  treatise." 


^  Trevelyan,  G.  M.,  England  in  the  Age  of  Wycliffe,  p.  112. 

2  For  instance  :  p.  9,  11.  21,  22,  24  ;  p.  11,  1.  35  ;  p.  14,  1.  2  ;  p.  19,  1.  10  ;  p. 
24,  1.  10  ;  p.  25,  1.  28  ;  p.  32,  11.  1,  28,  etc.  For  a  description  of  the  MS.  see 
pp.  5-7. 

'Without  being  terupted  into  an  effort  to  reconstruct  the  original  or  to  assign 
different  parts  of  the  composition  to  the  author  and  to  the  scribe,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  scribe  added  the  story  of  the  unforgiving  slandered  woman  (p.  12) 
to  his  original.  In  the  first  place,  the  position  of  the  narrative  suggests  this 
possibility.  It  comes  at  the  end  of  the  ''prologus"  and  is  separated  from  the 
discussion  of  the  first  commandment  by  two  lines  of  Latin,  a  convenient  place  for 
tlie  insertion  of  original  matter.  There  is  no  correction  of  or  addition  to  the  text 
in  the  column  in  which  this   narrative  stands.     The  spirit   and  vividness  with 


vi  James  Finch  Royster 

Tracts  on  the  Decalogue,  contaiuiDg  a  systematized  condemnation 

of  all  sins,  with  directions  for  righteous  living,^  were  an  exceedingly 

popular  form  of  the  clerical  literature  of  the  Mid- 

V.  die  Ages.     In  the  Sermon  of  Dan  Jon  Gaytryge  "^ 

The  Treatise     we   read  :     "  pe    Imv  to   knawe    God   Alm3'ghty, 

ON  THE  Ten  }>at  principally  may  be  schewed  in  theis  sexe 
Commandments,  thynges  " — the  Ten  Commandments,  the  Creed,  the 
Seven  Works  of  Mercy,  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins,  the 
Seven  Virtues,  and  the  Fourteen  Points  of  Faith.  During  the  years 
when  Lacy  was  compiling  his  Pryraer,  "  when  the  Wycliffite  move- 
ment was  at  death  grips  with  the  Catholic  church,"  discourses  upon 
any  other  subjects  but  those  mentioned  above  were  forbidden  by  the 
Primat.^ 

The  exposition  in  these  treatises  invariably  takes  this  form.  There 
is  a  prologue  * — of  varying  length — concerning  the  origin  of  the 
commandments,  showing  why  they  should  be  kept.  The  command- 
ments follow  in  order.  Under  each  commandment  are  mentioned  the 
manifold  ways  in  which  this  particular  mandate  of  God  is  broken, — 
the  various  forms  of  sin  especially  condemned  by  this  commandment. 
The  discourse  concludes  with  an  exhortation,  or  a  threat,  to  keep  the 
laws  of  God.  In  all  of  the  Middle  English  expositions  of  the  com- 
mandments I  have  been  able  to  examine,  the  same  plan  is  followed. 
Both  the  subject  matter  and  the  form  are  the  common  property  of 
mediaeval  religious  literature,  and  have  their  ultimate  source  in  Holy 
Writ  and  the  writings  of  the  Fathers.  The  phrasing  became  stereo- 
typed and  the  expression  formalized. 

which  the  story  is  told  is  wanting  in  the  rest  of  the  composition.  That  a  copier 
or  translator  felt  at  perfect  liberty  to  insert  exempla  of  his  own  into  his  original  is 
shown  in  the  treatment  to  which  Robert  of  Brunne  subjected  William  of  "VVadding- 
ton's  Maimel  des  Pechez.  Crane,  Exempla  of  Jacques  dc  Vih-y,  cites  the  examples 
of  Bernadius  of  Milan  in  his  Jlosarium  i^ermonum  praedicnhilum,  and  Gottsclialk 
Hollem  in  his  Sermones  super  Epktolas  Pciuli. 

'  "  Bokes  wliiche  shcwe  us  tlie  way  of  godly  lyvynge,  and  soulys  helth." — 
Barclay,  Ship  uf  FooU.  For  a  Reformation  comjilaint  as  to  the  excessive  number 
of  such  books  cf.  Gau,  Kingdom  of  Heuine,  p.  3,  ST.S 

"  Perry,  Religious  Pieces,  p.  2,  EETS. 

^Treveleyan,  loc.  cit.,  p.  127,  quoting  Wilkins,  iir,  59  and  Gibson,  I,  382-4. 

*  Cf. ,  for  instance,  Hugo  of  St.  Victor,  De  Sacramenlis.    Migne,  Pat.  Lat.,  cxi/. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten   Commandments     vii 

In  neither  subject  matter  nor  form  does  this  treatise  depart  from  the 

conventional  mode  of  treatment.      Every  thought,  and  almost  every 

phrase,  can  be  paralleled  by  passages  from  other 

VI.  Source.  theological  discourses.  But  the  relation  between 
this  version  and  any  other  tract  on  the  Ten 
Commandments  known  to  me  is  not  close  enough,  by  a  great  deal,  to 
lead  to  a  conclusion  that  this  treatise  is  a  copy  of  any  Middle 
English  tract  so  far  published  ;  nor  do  I  know  of  any  Latin  original 
which  can  be  held  responsible.  Rather  than  a  slavish  copy  it  seems 
to  be  a  free  rendering,  in  conventional  form  and  style,  of  matter 
common  to  theological  literature.  The  fashion  is  consistently  followed 
throughout.  The  text  is  thoroughly  supplied  with  reference  and 
quotation  from  the  Bible  and  the  Fathers  to  indicate  the  sources  of 
the  material. 

A  separate  tract  on  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins,  or  any  detailed  treat- 
ment of  them,  is  lacking.     These  sins  are,  however,  enumerated  under 
a  separate  heading  in  the  same  way  that  the  Ten 
VII.  Commandments,  the  Five  Wits,  the  Seven  Deeds  of 

The  Seven       Mercy,  etc.  are  catalogued  (fol.  126  b.).     It  may 

Deadly  Sins,     have  been  the  intention  of  the  scribe  to  let  this  list 
serve  as  an  index  for  other  tracts  to  follow.     At 
the  end  of  these  lists  there  is  a  break  in  the  MS.  ;  but  the  translation 
of  St.  Jerome's  Epistle  is  taken  up  in  the  next  section. 

Earlier,  in  the  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments,  the 
Seven  Deadly  Sins  personified  are  introduced  in  company  with  those 
who  break  the  Sabbath  by  drinking,  gambling,  and  other  sins  of 
gluttony.  A  merry  party  of  gluttons  and  "wasters  of  mens  susti- 
nance  "  is  assembled  for  pleasure.  The  Seven  Deadly  Sins  enter  and 
make  inerry  with  the  company.  Each  sin  is  in  his  usual  habit. 
Pride  is  a  boaster  and  hypocrite  ;  Covetousness,  full  of  oaths,  causes 
each  one  to  beguile  the  other  ;  Lechery  relates  ribald  stories  ; 
Gluttony,  the  ' '  Stuard  ' '  of  the  household,  will  allow  no  one  to  go 
home  until  he  is  fully  satisfied  with  food  and  drink  ;  Sloth,  the 
"  Marchel  "  of  the  hall,  bringing  Idleness  with  him,  keeps  the  cup 
always  full;    Wrath,   the   "Tresureer,"   having  Envy   in   his  com- 


viii  James  Finch  Royster 

pany,  makes  up  tlie  accounts  and  warns  tliem  all  that  no  one  shall 
speak  Avell  of  his  neighbor.' 

In  the  books  of  medieval  theological  writers  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins 
had  been  made  to  assume  almost  every  conceivable  allegorical  shape  ; 
they  had  been  personified  under  almost  every  form  that  can  be  thought 
of.'  From  the  days  of  Prudentius  the  battle  between  the  Vices  and 
the  Virtues  had  been  raging.^  A  very  common  form  which  this 
strife-allegory  assumed  is  that  of  a  castle  inhabited  and  defended  by 
the  Virtues,  and  attacked  by  the  Seven  Deadly  Sius.^  A  closely 
related  form  of  the  allegory  is  that  found  in  the  earlier  Sowles  Warde 
and  in  the  Abbey  of  the  Holy  Ghosts  In  the  Abbey  a  religious  house 
is  built  on  Conscience,  erected  by  Obedience  and  Mercy,  and  founded 
upon  Patience  and  Strength  ;  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Visitor  ;  Wisdom 
and  Discretion,  Penance  and  Temperance  are  the  officers.  A  tyrant 
of  the  land  stormed  the  Abbey  and  put  his  four  daughters— Envy, 
Pride,  Grucching,  and  Evil-Thinking — into  possession.  But  their 
rule  was  brief,  for  the  Visitor  soon  came  and  expelled  the  usurpers. 

While  we  do  not  have  the  allegory  in  the  Treatise  on  the  Ten 
Commandments  completely  worked  out,  there  is  enough  of  it  to 
suggest  that  the  writer  had  in  mind  a  reversed  form  of  the  "  household 


1  For  a  neatly  tabulated  survey  of  the  conventional  characteristics  of  the  Seven 
Deadly  Sins  see  Mile.  Fowler,  Um  Source  Francaise  da  Poemes  de  Gower,  Menton, 
1905,  pp.  58  ff. 

^Cf.  Triggs,  O.  L.,  Assembly  of  Gods,  pp.  Ixix  fi".  To  his  list  of  the  occurrences 
of  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins  in  Middle  English  literature  may  be  added  these 
examples :  Townley  Mysteries,  377,  306,  331  ;  Digby  Plays,  66  ;  Englische 
Studien,  ix,  43 ;  Perry,  Religious  Pieces,  77 ;  Cursor  Mundi,  v,  1524 ; 
Beltquice.  Antiquice,  136,  280  ;  William  of  Shoreham,  98,  28,  102,  107 ; 
R.  of  Bruime,  I,  105  ;  Myro,  Parish  Priests,  31  ;  Dunbar,  Dance  of  Seven  Deadly 
Sins  ;  Lydgate,  Temple  of  Glas,  20  ;  Chester  Plays,  207  ;  Vernon  MS.,  i,  243.  For 
Latin  tracts  on  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins  see  Append,  ad  S.  Augustinum,  Migne, 
XL;  Vitiis  octo,  S.  Eutropius,  Migne,  Lxxx,  9;  Vit.  octo  Princip.,  Aldhelmus, 
Lxxxix,  28  ;  Vit.  el  Virlutibus,  Rabanus  Mauras,  Migne,  cxii  ;  Vit.  et  Virt., 
Hugo  of  S.  Victor,  Migne,  clxxvi,  525  ;  Petrus  Cantor,  I\Iigne,  ccv,  44. 

=*Cf.  Neilson,  W.  A.,  "Origins  and  Sources  of  the  Court  of  Love,"  Harvard 
Studies  and  Notes,  Vol.  vi,  p.  19.     Triggs,  loc.  cii.,  pp.  IxiiifT. 

^Cf.  the  "Castle  of  Perseverance";  Grosseteste's  "  Castle  of  Love"  ;  Neil- 
son,  loc.  cit.,  eh.  III,  passim. 

s  Perry,  Relig.  Pieee.^,  pp.  48  ff.,  EETS. 


A   Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments       ix 

allegory."  Taking  the  place  of  the  House  of  God,  or  the  Castle  of 
Love,  as  the  residence  of  the  Virtues,  is  the  Tavern,  the  stonghold  of 
the  Vices.  Of  this  household  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins  are  the  rightful 
officers  :  Gluttony,  the  "  Stuard  "  ;  Sloth,  the  "Marchel"  ;  Wrath, 
the  "Tresureer."  But  the  strife  motive  is  lacking;  there  are  no 
forces  opposed  to  the  Vices. 

To  the  mind  of  the  devout  man  of  religion  of  the  time  there  could 
be  no  fitter  castle  of  wickedness  than  the  tavern.  By  the  Church  it 
was  considered  the  home  and  breeding-place  of  all  sin.^  Among  the 
theological  writers  it  is  often  characterized  as  the  ''devil's  school- 
house."      Don  INIichel,^  following  his  source,^  says  : 

"  pe  tauerne  ys  pe  scole  of   |'e  dyeule  huere  his  deciples  studieth. 
and  his  ojene  chapele  J'er  huer  me  dej'  his  seruese.  and  ]>er  huer  he 
make)'  his  miracles  zuiche  ase  behoue]>  to  ]'e  dyeule.     At  cherche  kan 
god  his  uirtues  sseawy.  and  do  his  miracles.  ]'e  blynde  :  to  lijte.  ]>e 
crokede  :  to  rijte.  yelde  ]>e  wyttes  of  ]'e  wode.  ])e  speche  :  to  l^e  dombe. 
]>e  hierj'e  :  to  ])e  dyaue.     Ac  ]'e  dyeuel  de]'  al  ayenward  ine  ])e  tauerne. 
Vor  huanne  }'e  glotoun  ge]>  in  to  \>e  tauerne  ha  ge)'  oprijt.  huanne  he 
com])  a-yen  :  he  ne  he|>  uot  j'et  him  moje  sostyeni  ne  here.     Huawne  he 
]>er-in  ge]'  :  he  y-zyc]'  and  y-her]'  and  spec]^  wel  and  onderstant.   huan 
ho  com})  ayen  :  he  he])  al  })is  uorlore  as  ])e  ilke  ])et  ne  he})  wyt  ne  scele 
ne  ouderstondinge.      Zuyche  bye])  ]'e  miracles  ]>et  ])e  dyeuel  make}). 
And  huet  lessouns  })er  he  ret.     AUe  uelfe  he  tek]>  ]>er.   glotounye. 
lecherie.   zuerie.   uorzuerie.   lyeje.   miszigge.   reneye  god.   euele  telle, 
contacky.  and  to  ueele  o])er  manyeres  of  zennes.  ]>er  arise])  })e  cheastes. 
])e  strifs.  })e  raansla5])es.  ])er  me  tek})  to  stele  :  and  to  hongi.  })e  tauerne 
is  a   dich  to   ])ieues.   and  ])e  dyeules  castel  uor  to  werri  god    an  his 
hal^en.    and  ]>o  ])et  ])e  tauernes  sustyene})  :    bye})   uelajes  of  alle  ])e 
zennen  ])et  bye})  y-do  ine  hare  tauernes.  and  uor  zo])e  yef  me  ham  zede 
o})er  dede  asemoche  ssame  to  hire  uader  o])er  to  hare  moder.  o])er  to 
hare  gromes.  as  me  dep  to  hire  uader  of  heuene.  and  to  oure  Iheuedy. 
and  to  })e  haljen  of  paradis.  mochel  hi  wolden  ham  wre})i.  and  o])er 
red  hi  wolden  do  ])er  to  })anue  hi  dop. ' ' 


1  Chaucer's  Friar,  however,  "  knew  the  tavernes  wel  in  every  toun."    ProL,  240. 
^A-^enbiteof  Inicit,  pp.  56-7,  EETS.     Cf.  Jusserand,  J.   J.,  English  Wayfaring 
Life,  pp.  130  ff.     Cf.  Chaucer's  "  develes  temple,"  Pardoners  Tale,  8. 
'Fowler,  loe.  cit.,  p.  96. 


X  James  Finch  Royster 

The  anonymous  author  of  Jacob's  Well^  speaks  thus  of  the  tavern  : 
'"pe  tauerue  is  welle  of  glotonye,  for  it  may  be  clepyd  ]>e  develys 
scolehous  &  \e  devyls  chapel  for  there  liis  dycyples  stondyen  & 
syngen  bothe  day  &  nyjt." 

Robert  Crawley,  writing  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  year<  later, 
continues  the  condemnation  :  ■ 

"And  then  such  as  lone  not 

to  hear  theyr  fautes  tolde, 
By  the  minister  that  readeth 

the  new  Testament  and  olde 
do  turne  into  the  alehouse 

and  let  the  church  go." 

The  sins  appear  in  the  following  order :  Pride,  Covetousness, 
Lechery,  Gluttony,  Sloth,  Wrath,  and  Envy.  This  sequence  differs 
from  that  found  in  Chaucer,  Gower,  Aien.  of  Lnvit,  Gregory,  or  from 
that  in  Augustine.  All  agree,  however,  in  placing  Pride  first  in  the 
list.-' 

Only  a  limited  use  is  made  of  exempla  for  illustrating  the  les.sons 
taught.     We    find    but  five   tales.      Three  of  these  are  versions  of 

widely-scattered  stories,  one  is  related  on  the 
VIII.    Exempla.   authority  of  oral  transmission,  and  another  is  said 

to  be  taken  from  an  autlior  whom  I  have  not 
succeeded  in  identifying-  The  sources  indicated  by  the  writer  are  : 
Vitae  Patrum,  Gregory's  Dialogues,  and  "  Vincencius  in  Gesti^ 
Anglorum."  * 

].  (p.  12.)  A  young  man  slandered  a  young  woman.  She  bore 
him  such  resentment  for  his  evil  speech  that  .^he  would  not  forgive 
him,  even  when  at  the  point  of  death  she  was  strongly  urged  and 
threatened  by  the  priest.  She  died  without  the  holy  sacrament.  Her 
spirit  afterwards  appeared  to  the  man  who  had  slandered  her,  while 
he  was  tethering  his  horse,  and  told  him  that  she  had  been  damned 


1  p.  1-17,  EETS. 

'  Worhs  of  Robert  Crawley,  ed.  Cowper,  p.  89,  "Of  .\lohouses,"  EETS. 
3 Of.  Triggs,  loc.  ril.,  p.  Ixxii. 

'  Cf.  Bale's  Iiidcz,  p.  ol-l.     Tiie  title  there  recorded,  Gesla  Anyiorum,   I  have 
l)ecn  able  to  trace  no  furllier. 


A  Middle  Englwh   Treatise  on  the   Ten   Commandments  xi 

for  his  sake,  but  that  he  still  had  time  while  alive  to  obtain  forgive- 
ness and  mercy.  There  was  no  remedy  for  her.  The  priest  was  sent 
for  to  conjure  her  to  some  "  dry  place."     The  spirit  disappeared. 

The  tale  is  related  upon  the  authority  of  an  acquaintance,  a  man  of 
"perfection  and  credens."  This  indication  of  source  may,  or  may 
not,  be  true.  We  must  give  it  consideration  when  we  remember  that 
it  was  a  common  custom  among  the  exempla  v/riters  to  add  stories  of 
local  tradition  and  sometimes  of  local  haj)penings  to  their  collections.^ 
Furthermore,  we  should  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  the  scribe 
acknowledges  that  he  has  read  the  other  stories,  and  that  search  after 
parallels  for  this  one  has  been  in  vain.  On  the  other  hand,  it  should 
not  be  forgotten  that  it  was  a  convention  to  relate  a  story  on  the 
authority  of  oral  transmission  in  order  to  make  it  more  realistic,  and 
to  give  it  a  readier  acceptance.^ 

The  separate  parts  of  which  the  story  is  made  up  are  stock  motives. 
The  moral,  which  is  to  show  the  virtue  of  the  shrift  and  the  peril  of 
dying  unabsolved,  can  be  illustrated  by  innumerable  exempla.'^  The 
appearance  of  the  spirit  of  one  who  died  unconfessed  to  warn  others  is, 
of  course,  a  commonplace.  The  handling  of  the  slander  motive  is 
unusual.      Generally  the  slanderer  is  punished. 

II.  (p.  15.)  The  second  story  is  related  in  fewer  than  fifty  words. 
A  Jew  was  saved  from  the  power  of  wicked  spirits  by  making  the  sign 
of  the  cross. 


^Cf.  Jacques  de  Vitry,  ed.  C.  F.  Crane  (Folk  Lore  Soc),  Introduction,  pp. 
Ixvii,  Ixviii,  Ixxii,  xcvi.  Gregory,  in  his  Dialogues,  is  very  careful  to  strengthen 
the  authority  of  his  anecdotes  by  citing  the  authority  of  those  who  were  eye- 
witnesses, if  he  himself  did  not  see  them.  Kobert  of  Brunne  vouches  for  the 
authenticity  of  his  stories  as  follows  : 

"Meruels,  some  as  y  fonde  wrytyn, 
And  other  that  have  be  seyn  &  wetyn  ; 
Non  ben  thare-yn,  more  ne  lesse 
But  that  y-founde  wryte,  or  had  wytnesse." 

^  In  the  Niederlandische  Sagen  (ed.  Wolf,  p.  54) ,  a  comparatively  late  collection, 
the  brother-in-law  of  the  knight,  the  chief  person  in  the  story,  is  cited  as 
authority.  But  the  same  tale  had  been  told  by  Caesarius  of  Heisterbach. 
Examples  of  this  kind  can  be  piled  up  almost  indefinitelj'. 

*  To  cite  only  one  or  two  examples,  cf.  Jacob's  Well,  pp.  21,  183  ;  Bede,  Hist. 
Eccle.,  y,  xiii.     In  a  large  number  of  instances  the  Virgin  appears  and  intercedes. 


xii  James  Finch  Royster 

The  source  is  plainly  stated  to  be  Gregory's  Dialogues.  It  is  found 
in  Bk.  Ill,  ch.  7  (Migne,  Pat.  Lat.,  lxxvii,  col.  229).  Gregory 
relates  tlie  incident  in  the  following  manner  :  A  certain  bishop, 
Andreas  of  Fulda,  an  old  man  full  of  virtue  and  good  deeds,  became 
tempted  by  a  holy  woman  who  was  dwelling  in  his  house.  A  Jew 
passing  through  this  city  was  unable  to  find  a  lodging  for  the  night, 
and  made  his  bed  in  a  temple  of  Apollo.  Fearing  the  sacredness  of 
the  place,  he  decided  to  protect  himself  by  making  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  though,  in  I'eality,  he  held  its  power  as  little.  In  the  middle  of 
the  night  he  woke  and  saw  a  strange  sight.  An  assembly  of  evil 
spirits  was  being  questioned  by  their  master  as  to  the  wicked  deeds 
they  had  been  doing.  One  related  that  he  had  poisoned  the  mind  of 
Bishop  i^udreas  for  the  holy  woman.  Suddenly  the  spirits  were 
ordered  by  their  master  to  seek  about  the  temple  to  find  one  who  did 
not  belong  to  their  oi'der.  They  soon  came  upon  the  Jew,  but  the 
sign  of  the  cross  was  upon  him.  The  devils  retired,  saying,  ' '  Vae, 
Vae,  vas  vacuum  et  sigiiatuin.'''  The  Jew  ran  to  the  bishop  and  told 
him  what  he  had  seen.  He  became  a  Christian,  and  the  bishop  put 
away  the  woman. 

The  same  tale  is  found  in  .7.  de  Vit.  (cxxxi),  El  Libra  de  las 
Ene.vemplos  (xxi),  Alph.  of  T.  (ccxxviii)  and  in  Hand.  Synne 
(Rox.  Club),  p.  124. 

In  El  Lib.  de  los  Enx.,  there  are  two  versions  of  the  story  ;  these 
are  practically  the  same,  except  that  the  second  one  is  considerably 
fuller  in  detail.  The  first  version,  following  faithfully  Gregory, 
concludes:  "Ella  manera  desta  inquisicion  brevement  la  dice  San 
Gregorio  ;  mas  piiedese  saber  mas  larganient  por  un  enexmplo  que 
se  ley  en  las  Yidas  de  los  santos  Padres."  However,  nothing  new  is 
added. 

The  story  has  taken  on  additions  in  Handhjng  Synne,  while 
Jacques  de  Vitry  has  cut  it  to  a  considerable  extent.  It  is  faithfully 
reproduced  in  An  Alphabet  of  Tales.  Odo  of  Cheriton  (no.  182) 
also  relates  this  story.  For  further  bibliography,  cf  J.  de  Yit.  (ed. 
Crane),  pp.  189-90. 

III.  (p.  18. )  A  clerk  was  greatly  devoted  to  the  Virgin,  but  he 
was  accustomed  to  use  vicious  oaths.     Our  Lady,  nevertheless,  prayed 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the   Ten   Commandments 


Xlll 


to  her  Son  that  he  might  be  saved.  One  clay  she  appeared  before  the 
clerk  as  he  was  in  his  devotions,  with  her  child  in  her  arms.  His 
eyes  were  hanging  on  his  cheeks,  his  arms  and  bones  were  broken,  his 
flesh  was  rent,  and  his  heart  was  torn  out  of  his  body.  The  clerk 
inquired  of  her  who  had  thus  mangled  her  Child.  He  was  told  that 
he  was  one  of  those  who  had  thus  injured  him.  She  disappeared. 
The  clerk  mended  his  ways  and  made  a  good  end. 

No  source  is  indicated  by  the  author.  He  merely  says:  "We 
reden  of  a  miracul  of  oure  lady."  In  none  of  the  large  collections 
described  and  analyzed  by  Mussafia  (Sitzimgsberichte  der  Wiener 
Academie,  113,  115,  119,  123)  or  by  Ward  (Cat.  of  Rom.  in  Brit. 
Mus.,  ii),  is  this  story  found.  It  belongs,  however,  to  a  class  of 
Mary  legends  very  common,  which  may  be  called  "  Mary  intervention 
exempla."     Where  this  exact  version  comes  from  I  do  not  know. 

AVith  some  variation  the  story  is  told  in  Handhjng  S^jnne  (EETS, 
Pt.  I,  pp.  25  ff.).  This  is  an  addition  on  the  part  of  the  English 
translator  ;  it  is  not  in  William  of  Waddington's  Manuel  des  Pechez. 
Dr.  Furnivall  has  not  traced  the  borrowing.  The  two  versions  differ 
in  these  particulars.  In  Hand.  Synne  the  swearer  is  not  a  clerk,  but 
"a  ryche  man"  ;  the  Virgin  appears  to  him  in  the  same  mauner 
with  her  wounded  Child  in  her  arms,  but  the  conversation  between 
her  and  the  clerk  is  given  at  greater  length.  Mary  promises  to 
intercede  for  him  if  he  will  repent  and  do  penance. 

IV.  (p.  19.)  Sir  Robert  of  Worcester  was  a  good  and  charitable 
man,  but  he  was  a  hard  swearer  ;  his  favorite  oath  was  by  ' '  godes 
spere,"  or  by  the  "  spere  of  god."  After  his  death  a  good  man 
prayed  continually  for  his  soul.  An  angel  appeared  to  this  man  and 
informed  him  that  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  he  should  pray  for 
the  soul  of  such  a  wicked  man  as  the  kuight  had  been,  for  he  was 
damned.  Then  the  angel  led  him  to  a  "place  of  paynes,"  where 
there  was  a  great  pit  of  fire,  in  which  the  knight  lay  burning.  A 
devil  was  smiting  him  with  a  great  spear.     The  angel  disappeared. 

Vicencius  in  Gestis  Anglorum  is  given  as  the  source.  I  have  found 
no   notice  of  a   Vicencius  who  wrote  a   Gesta  Anglorum.^     Bede's 

1  Cf .  p.  X,  note  4. 


xiv  James  Finch  Roystcr 

Ecclesiastical  History  is  usually  referred  to  as  Ge-^ta  Angloruin,  but 
Bede  has  not  told  this  narrative.  The  possibility  suggested  itself  that 
this  might  be  a  loose  and  careless  reference  to  Vincent  of  Beauvais, 
for  in  the  Speculum  Historiale,  Bks.  xxiii  to-  xxx,  he  tells  of  the 
deeds  of  the  English  and  French  kings.  The  tale  is  not,  however, 
found  in  this  section  of  the  book,  and,  apparently,  nowhere  else  in  the 
volume.  Furthermore,  William  of  Malmesbury's  Gesta  Begum  is 
referred  to  by  cxempla  writers  as  Gesta  Auglorum  (  Cat.  of  Bom.  in 
Brit.  Mus.  Ill,  ed.  J.  A.  Herbert,  1910,  p.  511  and  p.  536).  But 
the  story  of  Sir  Robert  of  Worcester  is  not  found  in  William  of 
Malmesbury's  history.  The  careless  way  in  which  "in  Gestis  Anglo- 
rum"  is  used  seems  to  indicate  that  the  term  might  be  applied  to  any 
book  or  portion  of  a  book  concerned  with  English  historv. 

There  are  no  other  occurrences  of  the  legend  known  to  me.  The 
two  motives  of  which  the  story  is  composed  are  frequently  found.  It 
is  related  in  the  Alphabet  of  Tales,  (no.  305)  that  a  man  was  virtuous 
in  every  way,  except  that  he  used  "fowle  language"  ;  his  punish- 
ment was,  however,  different  from  that  accorded  to  Sir  Robert  :  his 
body  was  cut  in  two.  The  futilitj-  of  praying  for  unredeemably 
damned  souls  is  also  illustrated  by  a  story  in  the  same  collection  (no. 
291),  taken  from  Jacques  de  Vitry  (736,  p.  492),  who  had  it  from 
Caesarius  of  Heisterbach.  The  vision  of  hell  and  the  sight  of  the 
punished  is  a  commonplace  in  exempla.  .  Cf.  Ward,  Cat.  of  Bom.  in 
Brit.  Mus.;  Becker,  E.  J.,  Mediaeval  Visions  of  Heaven  and  Hell, 
Baltimore,  1899. 

V.  lu  the  Tract  on  Confession,  not  j^rinted  in  the  following  text, 
is  related  the  story  of  the  two  brothers  and  the  book  of  three  leaves. 
The  older  of  the  two  brothers  was  a  clerk,  the  younger  a  "lewd" 
man.  The  clerk  was  proud  and  impatient,  while  the  lowly  brother 
was  meek  and  well  liked  by  all  who  knew  him.  The  clerk  inquired 
of  his  brother  how  he  had  attained  the  virtue  of  patience  and  humility. 
He  was  told  that  it  came  through  the  reading  of  a  wonderful  book  of 
three  leaves  ;  the  first  leaf  was  written  in  letters  of  gold,  the  second  in 
letters  of  red,  the  third  in  letters  of  black.  On  the  black  leaf  he 
found  his   sins,   on   the   red  the  poverty,  suffering  and    meekness  of 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the  Ten   Commandments  xv 

Jesus,  and  on  the  gold  the  joys  of  paradise.      When  he  had  finished 
the  reading  in  this  order  he  despised  himself  and  the  world. 

The  Vitae  Patrum  is  named  as  the  source  ;  but,  apparently,  it  is 
not  in  the  text  printed  by  Migne,  Pat.  Led.  vols.  73,  74.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  writers  of  exeinpla  often  confused  the  sources  which 
they  used,  and  sometimes  wilfully  misrepresented  them  in  their  desire 
for  a  worthy  source.^  If  the  tale,  however,  is  not  to  be  found  in  the 
Vitae  Patrum,  it  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and  often  repeated  stories 
of  the  excmpla  books.  It  is  in  the  Geda  Bomanorum  (ed.  Oesterly, 
no.  188),  but  the  English  translator  has  omitted  it.  (Cf.  Gesta 
Romanorum,  ed.  Hertage,  EETvS,  Append,  p.  531.)  Wright  early 
published  the  story  without  comment  (Percy  Soc,  viii).  For 
further  bibliography  cf.  Oesterly,  p.  742.  Oesterly  believes  it  to  be 
related  to  the  story  of  the  three  crows  {Gesta  Roman.,  no.  125),  and 
cites  here  Byrom's  Three  Black  Crows  (Chalmers'  Poets,  xv),  of 
which  he  probably  read  only  the  title. 

The  task  of  arriving  at  any  definite  conclusions  as  to  the  language 

of  the  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  district  at  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of 

the  fifteenth  century  through  the  evidence  furnished 

IX.  by  the  present  text  is  made  quite  impossible  by  the 

Language.        fact  that  Lacy's  ms.  is  a  copy,  by  the  absence  of 

opportunity  for  making  rime  tests  and  by  the  really 

small  amount  of  exact  information  we  possess  in  regard  to  the  language 

of  this  district  at  this  time.     The  more  or  less  mechanical  record  of 

the  writings  of  the  more  common  sounds  found  in  this  text  will  at  any 

rate,  it   is   hoped,   be  of  some  value  to  future   investigators  of  the 

language  of  the  northmost  part  of  England  in  the  early  years  of  the 

fifteenth  century. 

Vowels. 

The  forms  in  which  OE  a  (WG  a,  WS  ce),  e,  i,  i,  o,  o,  u,  ii,  eo 
appear  in  this  text  follow  the  usual  ME  developments  and  present  little 
of  interest.     The  following  observations  are  to  be  noted  : — 

OE  a  (ce)  before  nasals  =  a,  a  (written  a,  aa)  :  man,  />an,  name, 
etc.;    before   nasal    combinations  =^  both    a   and    o:    landes,    londes ; 

^  Cf.  J.  Crosland,  Modern  Language  Review,  i,  i,  57. 


xvi  James  Finch  Royster 

wrange,  wrongesly ;  honde,  hoonde,  handes,  etc.  Although  early 
Southern  ME  employed  generally  the  o  in  this  case  in  contrast  to  the 
early  Northern  a,  neither  form  at  this  late  period  furnishes  a  dialectic 
criterion.  The  London  Records  of  this  date  have  both  a  and  o 
(Morsbach,  Uber  den  Ursprung  der  Neuenglischen  Schriftsprache,  S, 
28  ;  Lekebusch,  Die  Londoner  Urkundensprache  von  14-30-1500,  S. 
51)  ;  while  the  same  orthographic  variation  is  common  in  the  Townley 
Mysteries,  Thomas  of  Erceldoune,  Richard  Rolle  and  in  other  Northern 
texts.     Cf.  Baumanu,   York  Urkunden,  S.  16. 

In  Jache  and  brannyng,  OE  e  appears  as  a.  Cf.  Sievers,  Gram- 
viatik,  89.  Anm.  1  ;  Morsbach,  Schriftsprache,  50  ;  Baumann,  Y. 
Urk.,  21.  Anm. 

ON  gar  is  found  once,  written  gar. 

i  (written  i  and  y)  changes  with  e  in  whet  (ivithe),  wethe,  binemith, 
het,  wreten,  sengel,  wedue.  Luik  (  Untersuchung  zur  eng.  Lautlehre, 
209)  takes  this  variation  for  a  lengthening  to  e.  It  seems  to  be, 
however,  more  a  matter  of  writing  than  one  of  sound.  It  is  an 
orthographic  variation  extremely  common  in  mss.  of  this  date.  Cf. 
Englische  Studien,  27,  352  ;  Herrig's  Archiv,  102,  43  ;  Morsbach, 
Mittelenglische  Grammatik,  65.     In  bedraden  OE  i=  a  (through  e  ?). 

The  writing  a  for  e  <<  OE  eo,  breaking  before  h,  r  and  /  -[-  a  con- 
sonant is  not  found.  For  the  usual  e  we  have  o  in  world.  OE  "^eong 
(eo  through  palatalization)  appears  as  both  -^eng  and  '^ing.  According 
to  Kolbing  (Sir  Tristam,  p.  xxxi)  the  last  form  is  Northern.  Cf.  ten 
Brink,  Aug  Ha,  1,  520. 

OE  y  is  generally  written  /.  y,  as  in  firste,  chirche,  wyrkyng,  mynde, 
kynd,  etc.  In  mekel,  evyle  it  occurs  as  e.  This  original  Southern 
writing  was  not  unknown  to  Northern  scribes.  R.  Rolle  has  these 
two  words  in  the  same  forms.  Cf.  Kolbing,  Sir  Tristam,  p.  Ixx.  It 
is  written  u  in  hud,  putt  (noun),  cussynges  and  -schupe.  This  is 
another  instance  of  an  original  Southern  form  that  had  ceased  to  be 
confined  to  the  Southern  district.  The  London  orthography  of  the 
day  as  noted  by  Morsl)ach  (Grammatik,  8;  Schriftsp niche,  38), 
employs  usually  i,  sometimes  e  and  here  and  there  u.  An  Alphabet 
of  Tales  (m8.  Northern,  fifteenth  century)  shows  a  great  fondness  for 
the  forms  in  u  :  furste,  hur,  churche,  etc.  In  Cursor  Mundi  (Adds. 
MS.  B.  M.  10,036)  there  are  occasional  occurrences  of  the  u-writing. 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the  Ten   Comviandments       xvii 

WS  ea  1)  breaking  before  I  +  d  (Northern  a.  Sievers,  Grammatih, 
151,  3)  is  found  as  both  a  and  o  in  the  same  word  :  halde,  hohlen, 
witholdes,  withaldes  (old  :  aid  :  6  :2).  Chaucer  has  here  only  o 
(ten  Brink,  Sprache,  35);  the  London  Documents  generally  o,  beside 
a  few  forms  in  a.  The  forms  in  o  are  not,  however,  unknown  in  the 
North  as  early  as  the  fourteenth  century.  2)  breaking  before  /i  +  a 
consonant  =  cm,  au  :  laif^eu,  smv^e,  scm-^e.  The  decisive  Northern  a 
(Kaluza,  Historisehe  Grammatik  der  englischen  Sjyrache,  ii,  23)  is  not 
found. 

OE  a  =  both  a  and  o  :  halij,  holy  ;  mare,  more  ;  etc.  Variant 
forms  occur  in  the  same  line.  The  o  {oo)  forms  predominate  in 
almost  the  proportion  of  two  to  one.  The  word  haly  furnishes  by  far 
the  largest  number  of  examples  of  the  o-form, — twenty-nine  (holy, 
eighteen).  The  preservation  of  OE  a  is  one  of  the  most  decisive 
Northern  characteristics.  The  Southern  and  Midland  change  OE  a 
to  0.  An  Alphabet  of  Tales  and  the  North  English  Cato  Version 
(Englische  Studien,  36.  ms.  fifteenth  century)  exhibit  the  same 
variation  of  spelling  that  we  find  here.  Professor  Hempl  (Journal 
of  Germanic  Philology,  1,  22)  very  properly  doubts  "to  what  extent 
Southernly  Northern  texts  with  o  represent  a  real  o  or  only  a  Southern 
spelling  for  a. ' '  The  occurrence  of  the  o-form  in  a  far  Northern  text 
is  probably  always  a  matter  of  orthography  rather  than  one  of  pronun- 
ciation. Though  the  scribe  write  the  two  forms,  we  cannot  postulate 
two  pronunciations  differing  so  widely  as  o  and  a  in  the  mouth  of  the 
same  man  at  the  same  time.  The  writer  who  uses  two  forms  of  spell- 
ing for  the  same  word,  or  for  the  same  sounds  in  different  words  is 
copying  from  an  original  with  a  different  spelling  representing  a  dif- 
ferent pronunciation  from  that  of  his  own  usage — traces  of  which  he 
allows  to  remain  in  his  transcription  ;  or  a  standard  of  spelling,  to  a 
large  degree  arbitrary,  forces  an  unphonetic  spelling  upon  him  ;  or 
lastly  the  lack  of  a  standard  orthography  allows  him  to  represent 
a  sound  in  almost  any  manner  he  chooses. 

WS  ce  (Mercian  and  Northern  ce  and  c,  WG  a.  Germ  e)  =  eund  a  : 
reden,  teches,  were,  weren  ;  and  ladde,  lattes. 

WS  ce  (i-umlaut  of  a)  =  e  and  a  :  redi,  clene  ;  and  clanes,  clannes, 
gast. 

Dibelius   (John  Capgrave  und  die   englische  Schriftsprache)   states 


xviii  James  Finch  Royster 

that  the  a-forms  are  the  more  frequently  found  in  the  North  and 
North-Midland,  e  and  o  also  appearing  in  nearly  all  writers  of  the 
North-Midland,  while  o  comes  into  the  North  first  in  the  fifteenth 
century  through  the  influence  of  the  Southern  poets.  Cf.  Kaluza, 
Sistorische  Grammatik,  ii,  27.  Lac3''s  writing  shows  no  o-fornis. 
The  weakened  i-form  is  seen  in  ich  and  ilke. 

OE  ea  =  e:  cleeth,  deth,  deedly,  gret,  heed.  Gratur  and  gratmt 
each  occur  once, — forms  indicating  a  shortening  of  OE  ea  to  ea. 
Cf.  Biilbring,  Altenglische  Grammatik,  §  o44a  ;  Kaiuza,  Histori-'<che 
Grammatik,  ii,  29  c ;  and  IMorsbach,  Schriftsprache,  67.  The  regular 
ME  development  is  a. 

OE  ed  =  e:  be,  frend,  see,  fie,  seek,  etc.  In  regard  to  beoth,  cf. 
Notes,  p.  38. 

Consonants. 

OE  palatal  c  =  1)  initially  ch:  child,  chese,  ehirche  (^kirk  does  not 
appear)  ;  2)  medially  and  finally  c/i  and  k:  tvilke,  wiche  (predominat- 
ing form),  ilk,  ich,  ynekel  (O'N  ^  ),  -miche,  sekes,  sec  lies ;  -lokur, 
-liche  ;  penken,  Aenccifh.  The  palatalized  t.s-form  is  by  far  the  more 
frequent  in  the  scribe's  writing.  Cf.  Kluge,  Pauls  Grundriss,  ii, 
993  ;  Morsbach,  Grammatik,  14  and  Litteraturblatt,  x,  101.  ON. 
borrowings  do  not  show  the  palatization  :  taketh,  sikurly. 

OE  se=^  1)  sch :  flesche  (6  times  :  fleslij  once),  u'orschuj)  (3  times  : 
worsup  2)  ;  -che  in  jiec he  (once)  ;  3)  c  in  englice  (once).  Inorganic 
sch  appears  once  in  seheche.  In  the  auxiliary  (OE)  sceal  we  find  both 
sch— and  S-,  the  writing  ins- having  a  slight  advantage  —  42  :  31. 
sch-  in  Northern  texts  is  not  uncommon.  R.  Rolle  writes  sh  (sch, 
sc)  throughout.  An  Alphabet  of  Tales  and  the  Northern  English  Goto 
Version  show  the  same  inconsistency  between  s-aud  sc/i- as  we  find 
in  this  text ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  a  few  s-  forms  are  to  be  found 
in  the  London  documents  (Morsbach,  Schriftsprache,  90).  In  the  York 
records  both  sail  and  shal  are  used,  the  former  Avriting  being  the  more 
frequently  employed  (Baumann,   Y.   Urk.,  82). 

There  is  no  confusion  in  the  medial  position  between  d  and  the 
voiced  th,  as  far  as  the  writing  indicates.  Cf  JNIurray,  Dialects  of  the 
Southern  Counties  of  Scotland,  p.  121.      Final  d  appears  as  /  in  lorte 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the   Ten   Commandments        xix 

once  (otherwise  lorde),  in  fiousant  and  often  in  the  past  participle  of 
weak  verbs,  t  and  d  interchange  in  conforle  and  conforde.  We  do  not 
find  sente  for  sende.  Cf.  ten  Brink,  Sprache,  170  and  Smith,  Speci- 
mens  of  Middle  Scots,  xxvii. 

Final  t  or  d  of  the  past  participle  of  weak  verbs  is  often  written  th, 
as  is  the  final  t  in  a  large  nnmber  of  words  :  xorooth,  weddethe,  ivethe, 
xoithe  renthe,  feeth,  and  also  mediallj'  :  thou^thiis,  etc.  These  are 
without  doubt  merely  orthographic  variants.  R.  Rolle  rimes  Judith : 
ivrilt  :  Judith  :  David  (Prick  of  Conscience,  ed,  Morris,  xxiv). 
Numerous  instances  of  th  for  t  without  apparent  cause  may  easily  be 
cited. 

In  one  word,  vewe,  OE  /  appears  as  v  initially,  originally  from  the 
East  Southern  dialect.  This  v  was  introduced  in  a  few  words  in  the 
London  dialect  (Sweet,  SJiort  Historical  English  Grammar,  189),  and 
was  found  once  by  Morsbach  in  the  London  documents  {Schrijtsprache, 
103,  158).  No  instance  is  known  to  me  of  this  writing  in  a  pure 
Northern  text.  Initial  /  for  P  is  found  in  fmste.  Cf.  Varnhagen, 
Anzeiger  fur  deutsches  Altertum,  ix,  179.  Anm.  Note  the  writing 
semfne  for  sefen. 

ng  is  reduced  to  n  in  lentlie,  st(r)enAe,  everlastanly,  hyndom  (also 
hjngdom)  and  in  a  few  past  participles.  This  may  be  merely  graphic  ; 
or  It  may  be  a  reproduction  of  the  pronunciation  :  n  for  i).  IMurray 
(Dialects,  53,  124,  534)  takes  the  dropping  of  g  before  th  as  a  char- 
acteristic of  Middle  Scotch,  "  spellings  which  are  found  in  the 
Northern  dialect  since  the  thirteenth  century."  Cf.  Smith,  Speci- 
mens of  Middle  Scots,  xxv,  and  Morsbach,  Schriftsprache,  100,  109. 
Initial  g  is  never  written  y.  There  is  no  case  of  -cht  for  -ji  or  -ph, 
OE  h  is  regularly  retained.  It  is  dropped  in  a  few  words  (evm- 
kyng^  and  is  present  inorganically  in  heerly. 

OE  fi,  -8  =  th  and  A.  th  and  />  appear  side  by  side.  A  is  more 
frequently  used  in  pronominal  forms,  y  is  not  written  for  initial  A- 
Confusion  with  the  voiced  d  medially  is  not  met  with. 

OE  hw-  =■  wh-  and  %v-.  The  latter  writing  is  the  predominating 
one  (33:13).  We  find  wy,  wiche,  iven,  what,  whiclie,  xcheti,  etc. 
The  distinctive  Northern  qu  does  not  occur.  Intrusive  w  is  found 
several  times  in  woo7i  and  wolde  ("old  "). 


XX  James  Finch  Boyster 

IXFLECTIONS. 

Nouns. 

There  is  no  necessity  to  distinguish  between  the  various  declensions 
of  nouns  found  in  the  older  periods  of  the  language,  for  Avith  the 
exception  of  fewer  than  ten  substantives  all  nouns  in  this  text  are 
inflected  according  to  the  original  a-masculine  declension. 

Nom  and  ace.  sing,  end  in  a  consonant  or  in  -e.  OE  endings,  if 
there  were  any  have  either  disappeared  or  have  been  reduced  to  -e. 
Final  e  is  irregular  and  uncertain  throughout,  and  is  in  no  way  a 
consistent  index  of  length. 

Gen.  sing,  ends  in  -es,-is,-ys,-us,  the  -es  predominating.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  North  prefers  the  ending  is.  The  Scottish  writers  of  the 
fifteenth  century  employ  -is  throughout.  R.  Rolle  {Prick  of  Con- 
science') uses  generally  es.  An  Alphabet  of  Tales  has  the  same  variety 
of  usage  that  we  find  in  Lacy's  ms.  A  remnant  of  the  old  weak 
gen.  in  -an  is  seen  in  hyr  husbonde  bed.  Liif  dayes  is  a  compound 
noun.  Cf.  Beowulf,  793.  Chaucer  has  lifes  dayes ;  Piers  Plotmian, 
lyf  dayes. 

The  dat.  sing,  is  not  inflected. 

All  cases  of  the  plural  end  in  -.?,  -es,  -is,  -ys,  -us  {-as  once.  Gf. 
ten  Brink,  Spraehe,  62).     As  in  the   ending  of  the  gen.  sing,  -es  is 

the  most  frequently  employed  ending es  :  108  ;  -us  :  45  ;  -is  {-ys) 

29.  -s  is  used  in  forming  the  plurals  of  nouns  of  Latin  or  French 
origin,  as  opynioas,  supersticions,  extorsions,  etc.  There  are  weak 
plurals  in  childeren  (once  childer),  i'^en,  breperen.  I'^en  is  a  common 
Northern  plural  (Murray,  Dialects,  158-159),  but  cf.  Lekebusch, 
Urhmdensprache,  101  ;  and  Chaucer's  frequent  eyen. 

Umlaut  plurals  are  me)i,  ivomen,  feet.  Hend  is  not  used,  but 
handes,  hoondes.  OE  neuter  plurals  without  ending  are  folk  and  piiig 
(twice  ;  otherwise  Ainyes).  Men  has  formed  a  gen.  pi.  after  the 
analogy  of  the  gen,  sing. :  menus,  vicnnes. 

Pronouns. 
Perso7ial  pronoiins. 

First  Per.  Sing.  Noin.  / ;  (Jen.  )iiy  ;  Dat.  and  Ace.  me.  PI.  Nom. 
ive  ;  Gen.  oure,  oivre  ;  Dat.  Ace.  us. 


A  3£iddle  English   Treatise  on  the   Ten   Commandments        xxi 

Second  Per.  Sing.  Nom.  /^ou,  fioxv  ;  Gen.  (Possessive  Pron. )  fil,  pin, 
pine  ;  Dat.  Ace.  pe  ;  PI.  Nom.  je,  you  ;  Gen.  -^owre,  ■goure,  ■^uwe 
(twice)  ;  Dat.  Ace.  ■^oiv. 

Third  Per.  Masc.  Nom.  he  ;  Gen.  his  (is  once);  Dat.  Ace.  him. 
Fem.  Nom,  seho  ;  Gen.  hir  ;  Dat.  Ace.  hir,  hire.  Neut.  Nom.  it, 
hit,  het  (once) ;  Gen.  his  ;  Dat.  Ace.  it.  PI.  all  genders,  Nom.  pai  ; 
Gen.  pel'  (thirteen  times) ;  peire,  par,  pare,  paren,  hir  ;  Dat.  Ace. 
pam  (forty-one  times);   hem  (ten  times). 

Demonstrative  Pronouns. 

Sing,  for  all  cases  pis,  pat.  PI.  pise,  pese,  poo,  po.  The  Northern 
forms  pa  and  pas  do  not  occur. 

Relative  Pronouns. 

The  relative  pronoun  is  represented  by  the  simple  pat,  or  by  u'hich(e) 
in  combination  with  the  article  pe.  pat  is  often  appended  to  this  form, 
the  result  being  pe  tvhiche  pat.  In  some  instances  the  relative  is 
omitted.  At  for  pat  is  not  used.  Bokenam,  however,  has  at  fre- 
quently.     Whom  (Ace.  Sing.)  is  used  once. 

Interrogative  Pron o%ins. 

The  following  forms  are  found  :  hoiv,  hoo,  ho,  what. 

Adjectives. 

Practically  all  traces  of  declension  in  the  adjective  have  disap- 
peared. Alle  is  the  plural  in  all  instances  but  three.  A  remnant  of 
an  old  Gen.  PI.  is  seen  in  allur. 

The  comparative  ending  is  -er,  -ur  ;  the  superlative  -st(e'),  -este, 
-uste.  The  redundant  periphrastic  superlative  is  also  employed  :  moste 
sikureste,  etc.  For  the  widespread  use  of  this  form  in  the  fifteenth 
century  cf.  Pound,  The  Comparison  of  Adjectives  in  the  XV  and 
XVI  Centunj,  p.  18. 

Verbs 

The  infinitive  retains  the  full  form  in  -en,  -yn,  on  in  thirty-three 
instances,  ends  in  -e  in  eighty-four  and  has  no  trace  of  the  old  declen- 
sion in  forty-eight  instances. 

The  3  sing.  pres.  indie,  generally  employs  the  ending  -eth  (-?7A(e), 
-uth).     The  forms  in  -eth  appear  in  about  the  proportion  often  to  one 


xxii  James  Finch  Royster 

to  those  in  -s.  Some  of  the  cases  which  have  been  counted  as  3  sing, 
may  be  3  pi.  with  the  same  ending.  In  the  face  of  grammatical  con- 
fusion in  dependent  clauses  where  the  verb  is  removed  some  distance 
from  its  subject,  it  is  difficult  in  all  cases  to  determine  which  number 
the  writer  had  in  mind,  since  he  uses  the  two  endings  for  both  sing, 
and  pi.  Of  the  thirty-five  instances  where  the  -s  ending  occurs 
twenty-one  are  furnished  by  the  verb  saye(n)  (saith,  seith  occurs 
twenty-four  times  ;  ^-ai^ouce).  techeK,  sekes,  hues,  hrehes,  shelves,  lettes, 
dwelles  also  appear.  The  ending  is  -t  in  happet,  sendet,  spillit,  kejni, 
oppressit,  and  semct. 

The  3  pi,  furnishes  the  only  examples  of  plurals  in  -.«.  Of  eighteen 
such  cases  fourteen  are  furnished  by  the  verb  do.  The  plural  ending 
is  otherwise  -e,  -en.     There  are  forty-seven  3  pis.  in  -e,  -en. 

The  imper.  is  sing. — ,  e,  -eth(e);  pi.  -eth(e'),  -tUh.  There  is  no 
imper.  in  -(e)s. 

The  pres.  part,  ends  in  -inge,  -ynge,  -yn.  There  is  no  instance  of 
the  Northern  -and. 

The  past  part,  of  weak  verbs  ends  in  -ede,  -d,  -id,  -ud,  -de, 
-(e)i(e),  -eth(e);  of  strong  verbs,  -en,  -on.  The  pi'eservation  of  the 
-n  in  the  strong  verb  is  a  characteristic  of  the  early  Northern  dialect, 
where  the  past  part,  had  dropped  the  prefix.  In  the  South  the  -n  fell 
off  in  the  fourteenth  century,  while  the  prefix  was  preserved.  Still, 
the  retained  -n  was  the  rule  in  the  Loudon  language  in  the  second 
quarter  of  the  fourteenth  century  (Morsbach,  Schriftsprache,  142). 
The  prefix  is  employed  here  in  a  few  instances  ;  it  appears  as  y-,  i-. 

Dialect. 

Fortunately,  Ave  are  not  compelled  to  depend  upon  the  extremely 
precarious  test  of  dialect  to  determine  the  home  of  the  writer  of  this 
MS.  This  information  is  furnished  by  the  scribe  himself.  At  the 
time  when  this  MS.  was  written  INIiddle  English  dialects  were  confused 
in  their  writing  to  such  an  extent  that  very  little  dependence  can  be 
placed  upon  the  tests  generally  set  up  for  the  determination  of  dialects 
at  an  earlier  date.  It  is  at  once  apparent,  however,  from  the  sum- 
mary of  the  phonology  and  grammar  given  above  that,  so  far  as  these 
tests  can  be  ap{)lied,  the  basis  of  the  dialect  is  East  Midland,'  which 

'  Such  forms  as  -us,  -ud,  -ut,  frequent  enough  in  this  MS.,  are  given  by  Morsbach 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten   Commandments      xxiii 

had  at  this  date  practically  come  to  be  the  prevailing  form  of  writing 
for  all  dialects.' 

Midland  characteristics  of  the  writing  are  :— 1)  OE  d  =  o  ;  2)  WS 
eh  (breaking)  =  o  ;  3)  OE  hw-  =  tvh-  ;  4)  OE  sc  =  sch;  5)  OE  c  is 
palatalized  ;  6)  the  verbal  system  exhibits  a  predominating  number  of 
Midland  forms  ;  7)  the  pronoun  shows  hem  and  here  for  Mm  and  />eire, 
Northern  are  :— 1)  OE  a  =  a  ;  2)  WS  m  (breaking)  =  a  ;  3)  OE 
SG  =  s-  in  sail;  4)  OE  c  is  unpalatalized  ;  5)  the  verbal  system 
employs  the  present  indicative  suffix  -.s^  and  the  past  part,  -it  (Cf. 
Morsbach,  Granimatik,  7).  But  the  following  distinctive  Northern 
characteristics  are  wanting  : — 1)  qu-  for  wh-  ;  2)  -cht  for  ^t ;  3)  pre- 
sent part,  in  -ande  ;  4)  the  demonstrative  pron.  pa,  Ads  ;  5)  insertion 
of  i,  y  to  indicate  the  length  of  preceding  vowel  a,  e,  b.  Furthermore, 
specific  Northern  words  are  sparingly  found  -.—(jar  and  ded  each  once, 
inch  ("pitch")  twice,  and  till  three  times  ;  Urk,  at,  barn,  hende, 
savien  are  not  used. 

There  are,  indeed,  a  few  characteristic  Southern  writings: — 1)  w- 
for  %ch-  ;  2)  OE  y  :=  u  in  four  instances  ;  3)  0E/=  v  initially  ouce. 
It  is  no  easy  task  to  draw  dogmatic  conclusions  in  regard  to  pecu- 
liarities of  English  dialects  in  the  fifteenth  century,  a  time  when  every- 
thing was  linguistically  unsettled  and  uncertain.  It  is  difficult  to  say 
how  far  a  Northern  scribe  was  mfluenced  by  the  manner  of  writing  in 
the  Midland  district  lying  near  him,  or  to  judge  accurately  the 
weight  that  the  rising  standard  language  had  with  a  friar  of  Newcastle- 
upon-Tyne  in  the  second  quarter  of  the  fifteen  century. 

In  view  of  the  preponderant  Midland  coloring  of  the  writing  in 
this  text,  together  with  the  unavoidable  assumption  that  the  ms.  is  a 
copy,  the  conclusion  naturally  lies  that  the  original  from  which  John 
Lacy  copied  was  an  earlier  Midland  ms.  In  copying,  the  Northern 
scribe  followed  fairly  faithfully  the  writing  of  the  original,  altering 
the  text  into  the  manner  of  his  own  writing  in  no  methodical  fashion, 
with  little  care,  seemingly,  as  to  which  form  he  wrote. 

{Grammatik,  7)  as  characteristic  of  West  Midland  in  contrast  to  the  -es,  -ed,  -et  of 
East  Midhind.  This  variation  of  vowel  in  the  unstressed  sylable  is  so  widespread 
even  in  the  fourteenth  century  that  no  dependence  can  be  placed  upon  it  as  a 
dialectic  criterion. 

^Emerson,  History  of  the  English  Language,  79. 


A  TREATISE   ON   THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS 


The  Manuscript 

The  Tract  on  the  Ten  Commandments  here  printed  for  the  first 
time  is  taken  from  St.  John's  College,  Oxford,  MS.  94,  fol.  119-fol. 
126,  a  vellum  folio,  10|  X  7  inches,  of  the  first  half  of  the  fifteenth 
century,^  The  manuscript  contains  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  folios, 
and  is  divided  into  fifteen  chapters.  Bound  with  a  heavy  dark  green 
binding  (19th.  century),  it  is  in  a  splendid  state  of  preservation.  The 
text  is  beautifully  illuminated  throughout  with  many  fine  miniatures 
in  colors  and  burnished  gold.  A  few  of  these  miniatures  are  partly 
scratched  over  ;  one  of  the  figures  on  fol.  1  b  has  been  cut  out.  The 
chapter  headings  are  written  in  red,  and  the  Latin  in  the  English  text 
is  underlined  with  red.  The  manuscript  was  formerly  in  the  posses- 
sion of  John  Bellingham,  whose  name  is  written  on  the  original 
binding.  It  is  not  mentioned  by  Bernard,  Catalogus  Librorum  Manu- 
scriptorum  .  ...  in  TJnum  Colledi,  Oxford,  1697  ;  but  it  is  fully 
described  by  Coxe  (1852). 

Although  it  is  evident  that  different  parts  of  the  manuscript  were 
written  at  different  times,  the  writing  throughout  is  clearly  that  of  the 
same  scribe.  It  becomes  gradually  more  uniform  as  he  proceeds.  At 
fol.  127  the  writing  changes  perceptibly,  growing  larger  in  size  and 
more  angular  in  shape  ;  but  about  fol.  130  it  regains  by  almost  imper- 
ceptible degrees  the  form  preceding  fol.  127.  Between  the  lines  and 
in  the  margins  there  are  frequent  corrections  of  and  additions  to  the 
text.  These  are,  however,  of  but  slight  importance,  merely  the  correc- 
tions of  such  errors  as  a  penman  will  naturally  make  in  copying, — 
the  insertion  of  words  carelessly  omitted,  or  the  altering  of  clearly 
mis-copied  forms.  There  is  no  re-writing  of  seriously  involved  or  mis- 
understood passages.     Some  of  the  alterations  of  the  text  are  in  the 

hand  of  the  first  copyist,  both  at  the  time  of  the  first  writing  and  at  j^^^--' 

/^->*'  c" 

1  Two  dates  are  found  in  the  MS. :  1420  and  1434.  '       ^  >ji^V  ? 


6  James  Finch  Royster 

the  time  of  a  later  revision  ;  while  others  are  in  a  second  hand,  —prob- 
ably that  of  Roger  Stonysdale,  to  whom  John  Lacy,  the  first  scribe, 
willed  his  book.  In  the  foot-notes  the  first  hand  is  denoted  by  A,  the 
second  hand  by  B. 

Coxe,  Catalogm  Codicum  MSS  qui  in  Collegiis  Auliisque  Oxoniensi- 
biis  hodie  adservantur,  Pars  II,  p.  26,  gives  the  following  description 
of  the  contents  of  the  manuscript : 

1.  Coramemorationes  de  Sanctis,  tabulis  pictis,  numero  xxxvii., 
illustratae.  fi*.  16. 

2.  Kalendarium.  fol.  10. 

3.  Horae  B.  Mariae  Virginis,  Litaniae,  Officium  defunctorum, 
Orationesque,  hie  illic  tonis  instructae  musicalibus.  fol.  17. 

4.  Orationes  privatae  ex  SS.  Augustino,  Beda,  Thoma  Aquinate, 
et  Augustino.  fol.  102. 

5.  Orationes  aliae,  Psalterium  S.  Hieronymi,  etc.  fol.  108. 

6.  Commentarius  in  Decalogum  ;  Anglice.  fol.  119. 

Incip.  praef.  ' '  Takuth  heed  and  je  mow  understonde  that  God  has 
gifen  us  ten  commawndementis. " 

Incip.  comment.  "The  first ^  commandement  of  God,  Non  adora- 
bis  deos  alienos,  That  is  thou  sallt  not  honor  no  fals  godes,  rijt  as  oure 
Lord  God  has  saide." 

7.  Septem  peccata  mortalia,  opera  misericordiae,  sacramenta,  etc, 
Anglice.  fol.  126b. 

Tit.  i.  ' '  The  semfne  deedly  synnes. ' ' 

8.  S.  Hieronymi  ad  Demetriadem  epistola  in  capitula  quatuorde- 
cim  distincta,  subjunctis  aliis  quatuor  capitulis ;  praevia  tabula  ; 
Anglice.  fol.  127. 

Inscribitur,  ' '  Heer  begynneth  the  pistyll  of  Seint  lerom  the  wiche 
he  wrotte  to  a  mayden  Demetriadem  ^  .   .  .   . " 

Tit.  cap.  XV.  est  iste,  "How  that  a  man  or  a  woman  schal  doo  when 
that  douocion '  is  withdrawen,  and  how  that  thai  schul  stonde  stabul 
in  the  loue  of  God." 

9.  Tractatus  de  confessione  ;  Anglice  ;  fol,  142  b. 

Tit.    "Heer  begynneth  the  trety  that  perteyneth  to  confessione." 

1  Ms.  firste.  '  Ms,  demetriade. 

'  So  the  MS. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments  7 

Incip. ,  * '  Confession  may  nought '  been  departith  for  to  telle  to  oon 
prest  and  make  open." 

10.  Sententiae  ex  SS.  Patribus  collectae.  fol.  148  b. 

11.  Carmen  de  confessione  ;  Anglice.  fol.  149. 

Incip.  ' '  Now  to  the  honor  of  God  and  the  blessud  Virgine  Marie 
se  ^  clene. ' ' 


iMs.  Dougth.  *Ms.  so. 


Orate   pro    aniina   fvatris    Iolia?wiis    lacy    aiiacliorite    de    ordine 
fratrum  predicatoruiu  noui  Castri  super  Tyna7?i  qui  hoc  pri- 
marium  dedit  domino  Rogero  Stonysdale  Capellano   ecclesie 
sancti  Nicliolai  noui  Castri  super  Tynam  ad  totu»i  tempus  vite  sue. 
et  post  morte?H  predicti  do?)w'ni  Rogeri.  volo  ut  tradatwr 
^  °  ■    '  alii   presbite/'o    dicfe    ecclesie  secunchim   disposicioJiem 

dicti  Rogeri  ad  terminum  vite  sue  ;  &  sic  de  presbitero  in  presbiterum 
in  eadem  ecclesia  remaneudu?u  duTJimodo  durauerit  ad  orandu?7i  pro 
anima  predicti  lohannis  lacy  Anachorite.  Anno  domini  millesimo. 
CCCCmo  XXXiiijto. 


Preyeth^  for  ]>e  saul  of  frere  Ion  lacy  Anchor,  and  Reclused  in 
I'e  new  castel  upon  tynde '.   ]>e  wiche  ]'at  wrooth   })is  book,  and 
lymned  hit  to  his  awne  use.  and  aftur  to  othur,  in  exitynge  hem 
to  deuocion  and  preyers  to  god.     And  ferfor,    for  fe 
(fol   101b)  blessinge  and  loue*f  of  god  And  oure  lady  ;  And  of  seint 

(fol.  102)  Michael,  And  of   him    ]>at  made   ]ns  book,   ])at  neuer 

man    ne   woman    lete    departe    l>e   engeliche   from     ]>e 
latyn,  for  diuers  causes  ]>at  been  good  &  lawful  to  my  felynge. 


Inoipit  j)rohgus — id  est  prelocusio. 

Takuth  heed  &  ;se  mow  undurstonde  ]?at  god   has  gifen  us   ten 
commawndementis.  ]>at  is.  ]mt  ille  a  cristen  man  religeus  & 
seculer  awt '  for  to  kepe  parfitly.   as  ]>ai  wol  faf  |'er  saules. 
And  ])at^  may  je  se  be   many    resonnes.   ffor  man   was  principally 
ordayned  for  to  be  obedient  to  god  and  to  drede  him.  and  for  to  kepe 
his  commaundemejitis.     As  saloman  sais.  Detail  time.  &  mandata  eitis 

^  This  paragraph  is  in  large  gold  letters. 

'The  t  is  above  the  line  by  B.  '  Above  the  line  by  A. 


10  James  Finch  Eoyster 

observa.  ^  Anofer  roson  is.  ]>at  god  has  gifyn  his  malison  to  alle  fat 
doos  agaynes  his  biddynge.     Psalm.  Maledicti  qui  declinant  a  mandatis 

tuis.  In  deutronoj/iio.  xxviij.  wher  )'at  oure  lord  god 
(fol.  119  g^jg^     ^^£  j^^^  Yyj^f   my  commau?idementis  in  despite. 

and  settist  ))am  at  litul.  j'ou  sallt  haf  my  malison  in 
towne.  and  withouten  towne.  ^  ffor  waryed  salle  be  ]mt  comith  of 
J)e.  ^  That  is  to  say.  Thi  childere?i.  if  ]'ot '  ]>ai  followen  ]n  wayes. 
])ai  salle  be  waryed.  ^e  and  ]nne  howse.  &  ]>i  bestes,  ]>i  corne.  and 
alle  fat  pertey?methe  to  ]>e.  ^  And  ferto  I'i  self  ^  salle  haf  my  meleson 
wef er  ])at  ]>o\x  ^  gast  in.  or  fou  gast  out.  &  wydur  ]>at  ener  f ou  gaste. 
euyl  day  salle  fe  betyde.  and  ]>e  payne  of  helle  to  fi  rewarde.  ^ffor 
to  hem  salle  god  say.  Ite  maledicti  in  ignem  eterimm.  qui  parahis 
est  diabolo.  &  angelis  eius.  That  is!  God  schal  say  at  ]'e  day  of 
iugement.  Go  ^e  fro  me.  je  waryed  in  to  ]>e  fire  of  helle.  fat  is 
dijth  to  fe  deuil.  and  alle  his  angelis.  &  to  alle  ]'am  fat  hathe  ray 
maleson.  ifor  fat  be  foo  fat  han  my  co?nmau?) dementis  in  despite,  ffor 
seint  gr  eg  or.  says.  ^  ffor  prouinge  of  hif.  is  casting  e  forth  of  M  iverJce. 
•jJEot  to  fam  saith  god.  fat  obediently  &  mekely  kepithe  my  cowi- 
mandementis.  he  schal  haf  my  blessinge  go  he  in.  go  he  out.  and 
joure  childur.  &  jowre  bestes.  &  jowre  come.  &  hous.  &  alle  fat 
tille  20we  langesf   &  widur  so  je  turne.  je  salle  be  blessud.  &  good 

day  salle  je  haf  &  ioy=f  witAouten  ende.  fibr  to  fam  God 
('^^^^  ^)  salle  say  at   fe   day  of  iugement  Mathei.   xxv.   Venite 

benedicti  patris  mei.  jjnTcipjite  regmim  quod  iiobis  paratum  est  ah 
origine  mundi.  %  That  is,  salt  god.  comithe  je  f  e  blessed  chirderen 
of  my  fadwr.  &  take  je  in  possession  f e  kyndoom  fat  is  maad  redi  to 
50W  fro  f e  makynge  of  f e  worlde.  ^j  ^e  schul  undurstonde  fat  f eer 
been  sum  men  &  wemen.  &  fai  say  fai  may  not  kepe  fe  ten  co??i- 
mandementis  of  god.  and  fai  say  fat  fai  been  so  hefy  and  straith  to 
fam  fat  fai  may  not  kepe  fam.  ^  Alle  fese  been  undiscret  &  unre- 
sonabul.  &  not  wys  in  gouernayle.  fat  say  so  wilfully.  ^|  fibr  heer  fai 
putte  agret  defauthe  to  god.  f er  as  may  noon  been.  ^  flfor  if  fat  he 
co7)imau?idethe  his  preceptis  for  to  be  kepid  up  payne  of  deedly  syn 

'  In  the  margin  by  A. 

''  The  I  in  adf  is  written  over  an  erasure. 

^/>at  /iou  is  repeated  and  struck  out  with  red  ink. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         11 

to  alle  degrees,  both  to  religiws  &  to  seculer.  to  weddethe.  &  sengelle 

noon  accepte.   but  it  were  so  bot  pat  ))ai  mi^th  kepe  J^am  if  fat  j^ai 

wolde.   it  were  agret  defaute  in  god.  fer  as  may  noon  been.     ^  ffor 

he  gaf  neiier  precepte.  ne  commaundeme??t  to  noon  of  his  resonabul 

cretures  bot  )iat  fai  mowen  kepe  ]'am  so  rosonabullj  if  pat  pai  wol. 

})«t    ]'am    needeth    no^t    to    synge    deedly.    if   pat  pai  wol  trauelle 

gostly.    for    by    pis    trauelle     gostly.    we    ouercome    pe     deuel.    pe 

world  &  pe  flesche.    &  for  to  haf  rewarde  in  pe  blisse  of    heue/me. 

for  pis  pouer  hath  pe  saule  gifen  of  god  be  grace  to  ilke  acristen 

me?i  &  wemen.     ^fFor  we  reden  iu  pe  gospel.   Mathei.  xix.    luce. 

xviij.    per    cam    aman    to    criste    &  sayde    to    him.   good    maystwr, 

what  good  pinge  salle.  I.  doo  pat.  I.  haf  euerlastinge  lijf.     ^  &  criste 

answarde  him  &  saide.  kepe  pou  pe  commaujidemextis.  if  pat  pou  wolt 

entre  iu  to  euerlastinge  lijf.     "HSo  je  mowe  undiwstonde  pat  god  con- 

fermed  it  in  pe  olde  lawe  sikt<rly  wreten  i?ito  tabullus  of  stoon.  &  oure 

sauior  criste  ihesu  co/ifermy?ige  pam  in  pe  newe  lawe  euerlastanly  into 

pe  tyme  of  doom,     ^[  Than  pis  jenge  man  saide  to  criste.  I.  haf  kepid 

alle  pese  piuges  from  my  5owthe#  what  salle.  I.  do  mare. 

(fol.  119b)  "Yhsin  crist  saide  to  him.  if  pou  wolt  be  perfit.  go  pou 

&  selle  alle  pinges  pat  pou  hast,  and  gif  it  to  pore  men.  &  pou  salle 

haf  tresur  m  heuenn.  &  come&^  sue  pou  me.     ^Now  taketh  heed 

jewrecches  &  kaytifes.  pat  say  en  pat  it  is  stray  te  &  harde  for  to 

kepyn  pe  commandemeutis  of  god.  and  grucchen  per  agaynes.     ^  Lo 

pou  wrechee.  if  pat  god  had  gif  pe  a  co?nmau?? dement  &  acharge.  pat 

pou  schuldest  haf  sold  alle  pat  pou  haste  :  &  gif  it  to  pore  men.  pen 

pou  wreche  woldest  haf  play?ined  &  grucchud  sore  a  gaynes  god.    ^  If 

pat  pou  grucche  agaynes  pe  wordes  &  doctrine  of  oure  lord  ihesu  criste. 

wer  pat  he  seith  in  pe  gospel  of  seint  Matheu  Mathei. 
id  est.  hoc  jine  '  7     ,      •         t-,       ^         7  •  7  •        r\    ■ 

ut   earn   conai-    '"•    ^'^"  mechaberis.     Ego  autem  dxco  voots.     (^xxis  omnis 

piscat.'  mechatus    qui    viderit    mulierem    ad    concupiscenduva    earn,    inm 

est  earn  in  corde    mechatus  est  earn  in  corde  suo.     ^  fforsothe.  I.  seie  to 

suo.     ^  id  est.    gQ^_   ffQj.  yjiy[^  euerj  man  pat  seeth  a  woman,  for  to 

causa  ruine  coueyte  hir  1   now  he  hath  don  lecherye  bi  hir  in  his 

herte.  pis  he  seith  generally  to  alle.     %  The?i  if  pat  pou  be  vexid  or 

meued.  pen '  be  penke  pe  of  pi  rewarde  pat  pou  schalt  haf  of  god  for 

^  Above  the  line  by  B.  *  Above  the  line  by  A. 


12  James  Finch  lioyster 

'pe  .  .  .  And  taketli  heed.  &  be  ]'enke  ]>e  wel  }iat  ]>e7-  been,  a  ))ousant 
men  &  weme??-  of  religius.  &  also  of  seculeres  ]'ot  been  fairer,  scliap- 
lokwr.  and  mijtliior  m  alle.  )'e  wilke  ]'at  been  ful  clene  &  chaste  in 
lijfinge.  and  al  per  lijf  dayes  be  bounde  per  to.  ]'e  wiche  ]'ai  kepe^  ]>am 
ful  clene  for  godes  sake  &  rewarde  of  blisse.  Ysidorus  cle  summo  bono. 
Qin  del  precepta  contempnit  audire.  deum  non  diligit.  Nor\  potest  a 
domino  vierere  quod  })€tit.  qui  non  xmlt  audire  quod  iusait.  ^  Thre 
])e  firste  coHauaundementis  of  god  teches  us.  how  ]>at  we  salle  loue.  & 
beren  us  queemfully  to  oure  god.  ^j  And  pe  semenith  o]->er  com- 
mau;idementis.  telleth  us  how  l'«t  we  salle  loue  oure  euyncriston.  &  be 
truje  to  oure  neijbio-.  for  he  ]mt  is  an  hund«r  myle  from  ]>e.  is  as  wel  ))i 
neiihur  as  he  ]mi  dwelles  allwr  nexith  )>e.  %  These  ten  commaundeme^i- 
tis  wrot  god  w/t/t  is  fyngi<res  in  two  tabulles  of  stoon.  id^ 
^^'^  ■  "^  est.  ]jer  spiritu??!  sanctum.  &  gaf  pam  to  moyses.  &  bad  him 

teche  pam  to  ]'e  pepul  of  isrle.  pat  Averen  uudw?-  pe  ledynge  of  moyses. 
&  aaron.  is  broper.  ^  Seint  Austin  sals.  Alle  pe  co??imandementis  of 
god.  been  referred  to  charite.  ffor  Avithouten  charite.  ]'er  may  no  man 
be  sauid.  And  pe  grounde  of  charite  stondeth  in  pe  loue  of  god.  &  of  pi 
neijbur.  Seint  ion  saith  in  his  canon.  ^  He  pat  loueth  not  his  broper. 
pat  is  his  neijb^r.  pe  wich  pat  he  seeth  alle  dayes.  how  J'an  may  he 
loue  god,  whoJH  he  seep  not.  ^  Ther  fore  seith.  seint  ^  ion.  he  p«t  saith 
pat.  I.  loue  god.  &  hatith  his  neigbwr.  he  is  alier.  Augusiiiivs.  Qui 
sine  caritate.  nemo  potent  sauuls  esse.  Omnia  precepta  diaina.  refemntuT 
ad  caritatem.  Caritas  est  perfecta  dilecdo  in  deum  &  proximum.  ^I 
pat  wrot  pis  booke.  spake  oones  with  aman  of  perfeccion  &  of  credens 
pat  tolde  to  me  of  ajenge  man.  &  of  a^^enge  Avoma/i  pe  wilke  pat  he 
knew.  &  be  fel  in  his  tyme.  hit  happet  so  pat  pis  jenge  man  sclan- 
dwred  pis  jenge  woma?i  with  an  oper  man.  &  it  was  not  soop.  pis 
woman  toke  it  wondur  hefy.  wan.  pat  scho  herde  j'er  of.  And  aftur 
mony  dayes  pis  woman  felle  wo/idwr.  seek,  pe  preste  was  sende  aftur 
with  pe  holy  sac?*ament.  &  so  scho  was  schreuen.  &  pe  preste  asked 
hir.  if  pat  scho  were  in  charite  to  alle  men  &  wemen.  &  in  wil  to 
forgif  pam.  And  scho  answarde  &  saide.  I.  forgif  alle  men  &  Avemen. 
saf  oonly  oo  man.  pe  Avilke  scho  saide  pat  fals  sclandnrid  hir.  &  him 
scho  saide  scho  Avolde  neuer  forgif.     And  ]>en  saide  pe  preste.  nay 

'  pe  above  the  line  by  A. 
'Ill  the  margin  by  A. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         13 

doujtwr  it  may  not  be  )>is.  j'ou  moste  forgif  to  alle.  it  wold  not  be.  so 
]>e  preste  tok  ]>e  holy  sacrament  &  went  hoom.  so  it  fel  pis  woma?i  died. 
Soone  aftwr.  ]>\s  same  man  ]Mt  sclaundrtred  ]>is  woma?i  wente  up  apoon 
aday  to  remewe  his  hors.  ]>at  stood  y-tedu?'ed  in  gras.  or  pastur.  and 
as  he  was  abowte  for  to  tak  up  ]'e  stake,  him  Jwu^th  ]mt  scho  stood  be 
sydes  him.  And  he  saide  art#  fou  silke  a  woman.  And 
scho  answarde  &  saide.  I.  am  ]'e  spirit  of  silke  a  woman. 
&  woo  worthe  J)e  saide  scho  for.  I.  am  dampned  for  ])i  sake.  Bot 
anoon  saide  scho.  tak  ]nne  hors  &  fache  hidnr  )'e  preste.  So  ]'e  preste 
cam.  &  coniured  hir.  &  scho  saide  scho  was  dampned  for  scho  died 
out  of  charite.  for  scho  wolde  not  forgif  jnlke  ma?i  ]>at  sclau?idi(red  hir 
untruly,  neuerles.  scho  saide.  he  may  haf  mercy  be  contricion  & 
penans  wil  ]>at  he  is  heer.  bot  ])er  is  no  remedy  to  me.  )'er  for  seide 
scho  to  J)e  preste.  cojiiure  me  to  su?/i  drije  place  out  of  ]>e  way.  fat.  I. 
may  haf.  vij.  foote  of  drines  &  so  he  ded.  &  sodenly  scho  was  agon. 
lacobi.  ij.  Qni  offendit  in  uno  i  /actus  est  omnium  reus,  id  est.  circa 
caritatem  facit.  in  qua  pendent  omnia,  silicet.  quantum  ad  vitam 
eternam. 

The  jirste  commaundement  of  god. 

Non  adorabis  decs  alienos.  That  is.  }50U  sallt  not  honor  no  fals 
godes.  Eijt  as  oure  lord  god  had  saide.  I.  bidde  50W  fat  je 
haf  studfaste  by  leue.  And  studfaste  hope.  And  parfith 
loue  to  god  &  to  joure  nei^bitr.  "fj  ffor  his  co»imaundement.  biddeth 
)>e  to  loue  him  ouer  alle  J'inge.  witA  alle  fin  hert.  &  saule  &  mynde. 
and  fin  nei^bwr  as  fi  self  in  alle  uertues.  And  so  fe  childe.  to  fad-ur. 
&  modttr.  In  Mis  duobas  mandatis.  tota  lex  pendet  &  prophete. 
3Iathe\.  xxii.  ysidori  soliloquiorum.  Quod  tibi  fieri  vis.  fac  alteri. 
Quod  visfiere  tibi  alteri  non  inferas.  ^  Agaynes  fis  precepte.  &  C07n- 
mandeme?it  of  god.  doos  thre  maner  of  men.  ^  f ai  fat  trowen  & 
truste  in  wyche  craftes.  ^  or  be  fe  deuilles  crafte  sekes  helpe  of  seke- 
nes.  ^  or  elles  helpe*?  of  defens  agaynes  far  enmyes. 
(col.  2)  ^  ^^^g^     ^  Qj,  gjjgg  f^j,  ^p  arayse  fe  deuille  for  to  with 

ho  fat  staal  f e  good.     ^  Or  elles  for  good  fat  is  hud.  or  stolon.     ^  Or 
gar  charme  fer  childwren.^  or  bestes.     And  also  of  alle  coiurisons  ]>at 

*  The  I  in  childuren  is  in  the  margin  by  B. 


4  James  Finch  Eoyster 

been  euyll.  ^  And  also  expermentis.  And  of  turnynge  of  loues.  & 
of  keyes.  &  of  sorcere  in  rynges.  ^  And  alle  o]'cr  sorcereus  & 
charmus.  &  writtes.  ^  Alle  ]>ese  mester  men.  &  Avemen.  fai  been  out 
of  ]'e  feith  of  haly  chirche.  And  do  agaynes  ]>e  co?nmaundement  of 
god.  ^  ffor  ^  nofmge  of  |>ese  ^  usud  vfith  outen  ]>e  consel  of  uertues 
lijfers.  &  ri^th  good  clerkes.  &  ]>er  to  uertues  in  lijfinge.  ^  And  also 
fer  been  many  &  ^  ban  been  by  fore  tyme.  ]mt  ban  balde  many  euyl 
opynions.  botb  men  &  wemen  agaynes  ]'e  feith  of  haly  chirch  & 
agaynes  studfast  fietb  of  haly  chirche  wilfully.  ^  Lo  wat  seint  Aus- 
tin seis  to  alle  silke  men.  &  wemen  by  forsaid.  ^  pese  maner  ^  of  men 
ban*  lost  ]>e  byleue*  he  sais  of  cristondam  ^  And  fai  beem  felaus 
to  paynimits  &  to  hethenmen  and  for  to  haf  paynne  endeles.  bot  it  be 
so  ]rat  ]>ai  haf  repentans  her.  &  do  penans  ))er  fore.  Eawmudiis  dint 
^  Regulariter.  Omnis  dunnaneia  quocumque  pTedietorum  modorum. 
uel  alio  simili  fiat  prohibita  est.  &  maledicta  a  deo.  et  sanda  ecclesia 
tamquam  ydolatviam.  &  mfidelitas.  %  Now  je  wemen  takethe  je  heed, 
for  ))er  been  many  of  jow  J'at  errith  be  mys  byleue.  &  obstinat  of  wyt 
of  jowre  childeren  ]mt  been  new  boren  or  fai  been  cristu?ined.  &  aftwr 
maken  supersticions.  fe  wiche  been  not  lauful.  and  ]>ai  been  reproua- 
bul.  As  for  to  lay  it  \n  a  syf  bifore  any  o]>er  I'inge.  because  of 
wicked  wijthes.  &  \er  to  bred  &  chese.  or^  elles  of  fe 
(fol.  120b)  ^^^^^^  ^^  j^g   childe  sum  preuy  clooth.     ^  or  elles  \n 

tyinge  to  stool,  of  forme,  and  so  of  o)>er  J'inges  })at  is  not  lauful. 
^  Bot  56  schul  undwrstonde  ]mL  1.  writte  ]'is  \ai  je  schul  haf  con- 
sciens  \er  of.  and  for  to  amende  it  m  tyme  to  comynge.  ffor.  I.  do  jow 
to  withe,  it  is  not  lauful.  for  be  silke  supersticions  ]'e  wicked  spirit 
oftetymes  hath  puwer  of  ]'e  childe.  alle  his  lijf  dayes  aftwr  in  sum 
mater  aftwr  |)e  child  haath  disposicion  to.  &  mekel  of  jowre  defaute. 
^[  Bot  je  weme?i.  je  mow  undi/rstond  ]iat  fis  is  lauful  &  moste 
sikwreste  to  jowre  childiwen  boj'e  for  body  and  saule.  and  moste 
sikwreste  to  jowre  cojisciens  ^  Whan  \>ai  ]>q  childe  is  boron,  wrap  it 
in  fayre  ly?uien  clooth  &  warme.  and  lay  it  as  je  see  beste  for  to  doo. 
Wi't/i  outen  ony  supersticion  be  forsaide.  and  fan  make  ]'e  signe  of  pe 
cros  })er  up  on  I  and  as  sone  as  ^e  mowen  &  in  hast  lett  make  it 
acristen  man.  or  woman.     ^  Seint  gegor  rehersith  in   his^  dyalogus. 

'  Written  in  blacker  ink  by  B  over  an  erasure. 

«  Above  the  line  by  A.  '  The  r  is  above  the  line  by  A. 

*  han  lost  />e  byleue  is  repeated  and  struck  out.  *  Above  the  line  by  B. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         15 

of  aiew.  ]>at  was  an  uncristen  man.  was  saued  from  ]>e  pouer  of  wicked 
spiritus  be  signe  of  )'e  cros  )>at  he  merked  up  ^  on  him.  &  ]>er  power  was 
adraw  be  cause  he  made  ]>e  signe  of  ]'e  cros  up  on  him  pal  mijth  do 
him  no  durans.  ^  And  alsso  we  reden  of  an  o)'er  iew  on  ]>e  same 
wise,  of  ])e  feste  inuencio  sancti  crucis.  %  ffor  50  schullen  fynde  fis 
for  ]>e  beste  &  moste  siktireste.  to  J^am  j^at  been  cathecumintts.  with 
outen  ony  supersticion  before  said,  saue  oonly  ])e  signe  of  ]>e  cros. 
^  Also  agaynes  ]>is  cornmaundement  men  doos  ]>at  for  hope  of  ma?tnes 
help  ]'at  leues  ]>e  serues  of  god.  or  ]>at  brekes  I'e  co?n- 
(col.  2)  maunderaentis^  for  hope  of  lordschup.  or  for  hope  of 

wyninge  forje  crafte  of  trauel  leues  his  preers.  or  lettes  for  to  go  to 
chirche  on  ]>e  sonday  to  serue  god.     ^ffor  god  sayde  be  leremi  \e 
prophete.  wereid  been  Jnlke  men.  ]mt  for  any  ]>hige  leues  godes  serues 
]>at  he  schuld   do.      Or  for  jernynge   of  ony  godes.'  doos  wilfully 
synne.  leremie.  xlviij.  Maledictus  qui  opus  dei  facit  fraudulenter.  uel 
secundum  aliam  literam  necligenter.     ^  The  ])rydde  maner  of  men  is, 
when  ]iat  aman  wol  for  loue  of  his  fleschei   or  delite.  or  for  drede  of 
bodely  payne.   or  for  drede  of  deeth.   or  for  iamir  of  man.   wol  do 
agaynes  ]>e  biddinge  of  god.  &  of  his  co?umau?ideraentis.  he  what  euer 
he  be.  he  has  in  his  wille  forsaken  him.  and  has  maad  ]mi  his  god.  fat 
was  ]ie  cause  of  brekynge  of  his  comman dementis.   Mathei.   vj.   uhi. 
enim   est  thesaurus  tuusi   ibi  est  &  cor  tuum.   gvegorins.     Probacio 
ergo^  dileccionis.  est  exhibicio  operis.     J.t(gfustinus.    homo  ab  homine 
colitur  qaod  pre  ceteris  diligit\ir.    The  undwrstondinge  of  ]'ese  textis  is. 
pat  f  inge  ]>at  Jwu  loueste  meeste.  and  ]>at  ])0u  erte  moste  bisy  to  Wynne. 
or  to  plese.  &  la])uste  to  lose '.  pan  ])i  wille  &  ]n  deede  schewes  welle  pat. 
pat  is  pi  god.     ^  ffor  it  is  pe  commaundement  of  god  pat  pou  sallt  loue 
him  ouer  alle  pinge.  &  pi  neijbttr  as  pi  self  in  alle  goodnes  &  lauful- 
nes.     Bot  bi  pis  it  semetwel.  alle  pinges  pa^  men  louen  agaynes  godes 
wille  pai  make  it  per  god.     %  ffor  gret  syn  it  is  to  man.  or  woman,  for 
to  loue  pe  creature  more  pen  pe  maker  of  pe  creature  Mathei.  x.  Qui 
aviat  patrem.  aut  matrevi.  aut  filios.  aut  agros.   etcetera.. 
^  Oure#  saueour  criste  ihesu  rehersith  in  pe  gospelle  of 
seint  Mathen  &  saith.  pat  what  man.  pat  loueth  fadnr.  or  modwr.  wijf  or 
childe.  broper  or  susti/r.  lond.  or  rente  more  pan  me.   he  is  not  worthi 

1  In  the  margin  by  A.  *  Altered  by  B  to  goodes. 

*  Above  the  line  by  B. 


16  James  Finch  Roysier 

to  me.  ^  Now  )'ou  man  or  woman  wefer  eue?-  ]>o\x  be.  I^enke  J^ou  salt 
diee.  &  icb  salle  be  rewardetb  aftu?'  bis  wirkynge  aiiur  be  salle  passe 
hennes.  &  sett  not  fin  bert  on  ]>at  salle  sone  passe,  ^j  ffor  seint  gregor 
saitbe.  Presencia  gaudia  seqnuntur  perpetua  lamenia !  nemo  potest  hie 
regnare  &  gaiulere  cum  seculo.  &  illic  regnare  cum  deo.  non  merehir 
post  mortem  habere  gaudium.  qui  ante  viortem^.  non  cognouit  se  vioritu- 
rum.  ^  Tberfore.  wen  ])at  god  visitbit  ]>e.  with  los  of  godes.  or  elles 
be  taketb  to  bim  wijf  or  cbilde  be  pestile?is.  or  bi  ony  o]>er  sekenes. 
fen  be  not  grucbing  ne  grow?ini/2ge  agaynes  ]>i  maker  god.  &  fen  putt 
fi  wille  in  to  bis  Aville.  tfor  be  taketb  aman  or  awoman  wen  fat  it  is 
beste  for  fam.  and  plesinge  to  bim.  ferfor  crye  f ou  not  ne  gret  not 
agaynes  god.  Ne  fle  not  f ou  fe  sande  of  god.  fro  oo  place  to  anof er. 
fou  ne  fi  ebilderon  for  no  pestylens.  ne  for  no  silke  maner  finge. 
^ffor  fou  salle  unduj^stonde.  ]'at  it  is  laufulle.  if  yat  fou  be  seeke  for  to 
use  medicinns  to  lentbe  ]'i  lijf  in  goodues  for  to  serue  god  fi  maker. 
Bot  for  to  flee,  or  avoyde  fe  visitacion  of  god.  I.  konnot  fynde.  fat. 
fat  it  is  lauful  i^i  serten.  not  plesinge  to  god.  Seint.  Bernard  sais. 
Tber  is  no  s'lkur  lijf  wit  A  outen  a  clene  consciens^  wer  f«t  aman 
abiditb  deetb  witb  sikttrnes.  &  resaiuetb  bim  vfith  swetnes 


The  secunde  commaundemejit  of  god. 

Secundum  mandatum..     Non  assumes  nomen  dei  in  uaimm.     Tbat  is. 
je  salle  not  take  fe  name'f  of  god  in  vayne.     ^  Agaynes  fis 
comandement  trespas  men  &  wemen  in  tbre  man  of  wyse.   fat 
is'   be  fat  sweritb  needles,  wber  fat  men  wolde  troue 
^     ■    '  ]'am   witA  outen    ootb.     •jj  And   anoj'er  is   to  fam  fat 

sweritb  fals  in  comyn  specbe.  or  in  byi»ge  &  sellynge. 
Quia   scriptum    ^j.  ^  gaynes  cojisciens.  vi  fat    fai  knowe   wel  |)at  fai 

^    .,.     swere  fals.  or  swereitb  fat  be  can  a  finge  or  knowith  a 
TnenlUuT  occidit       .  '  .r  »  i         i 

an  imam.     &    l""g6  l'"t  be  knowitb   nojtb.      ^j  Also,    be    fat    sweres 

perdes    omnes    custu?rtnabully.   &    baatb   in   custo?/i    to    swere   &   dis- 

qui    locuntar    membitr.    &  drawes   ly?nme  from  lyme  of  oure  lorde 

mendacium.     i^esu  criste  fat  is.'    be  fat  sweres  by  bis  berte.    &  be 

.     ''.          ■    bis  ixen.   and  als  be  bis   armus.  sydes.   &  wo«des.   & 
sapiencie.  ^  ,  ,  . 

so  of  ofer  disraembringe  of  bim.     ^fTbese  maner  of 

'  In  the  margin  by  A. 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the  Ten   Commandments         17 

me  upbraydeth  him.  ]>ai  he  be  cam  man  for  us.  And  ])ai  syn  deedly. 
^  ffor  rijth  as  fleschely  sekenes  sleeth  J'e  body.  Rijth  so  dooth 
gostyly  sekenes  pe  saule.  ^  Ezechielis.  xviij.  Auima  que  jJeccauerit  i 
ipsa  morietuY.  glossa.  Et  non  erunt  in  memoria  iusticie  qua,s  fecit, 
into  ]>e  tyme  he  be  raysed  ironi  deeth  to  lijf.  be  grace  of  contricion  & 
penaus  doi?*ge.  ^cclesiastici.  xxiij.  Uir  multum.  iurans  replehiiwr 
iniquitate.  et  non  discedet  a  domo  eius  plaga.  *[yAlso.  )'00  ]mt  swerith 
by  heuenn.  or  be  erthe.  or  be  oujth  J^at  is  in  hem.  j^an  ]>ai  swere  by 
]'e  maker  of  J^am.  and  j'at  ^  is  as  mekel  to  say.  I.  take  god  to  wittnes 
\at  maad  heuen  tfe  erth.  \iai  my  word  is  truth  &  sooth.  And  if  ])at 
het  be  fals.  he  wolde  pat  god  bar  him  fals  wittnes.  and  so  for  to  do 
agaynes  his  awne  techinge.  &  his  coruraauudemetis.  Acordinge 
heerto  saithe  seiut  austyn.  Quid  est  per  deum.  nisi 
"  '         testis   est    deiis.   and  quid   est  testis   est   deus.   nisi  per 

deum.     Quia  per  lapidem  iurat  falsum.  periurus  est.  quia  non  lapidem 

qui   non    audit,    set^    eius    creatorem   adhibem   testem^ 

(fol.  121b)  \r  ,j   •  A-       •  •  / 

Mathei.  v.     ison  lurare  omuino.  neque  per  ceium  neque 

per  terrain.     Sit  sermo  uesier.  est.  est.  non.  non.      Quod 

glossa.    id    est.     auteni  hijs  habundancius  est  a  malo  est.     ^Quare  ergo 

cum  affectu.  uel      t  •,    i       •  •  i-        -±  i  ,        •        " 

.,.-"  diGit  dommus  m  euanqeho.  sit  sermo  uester  est.  est.  non. 

assidiutata.  .         ^    .        y.  .         , 

7ion.    i?esponsio.     Quia  affirmacio  uel  negacio.  que  est  in 

corde  debet  esse  in  ore.     lacobi.  5.    Ante  omnia  nolite 
.id est.  ex  infini-     /•     ,  •    •  j  , 

fratres  mei  turare  nenue  per  celum.  nenne  per  terram. 
tate   eius  cu?.iis    ''  .     ,  i  .  . 

iuratur  neque  per  aliud  quodcumque  iuranientum.     Sit  auteni 

sermo   vester.    est.    est.    non.    non.    ut  non   sub   iudicio 

decidatis.     Ensamplul  to  alle  cristen  men  &  weraen.  we  reden  in  pe, 

gospelle  pat  oure  sauyor  criste  ihesu  swar  neuer.     Bot  it  were  forsothe. 

Or  truly.     Or  in  serten.     Or  so  be  it.     ^  Neuerpeles.  in  aiuste  &  in 

anopon  cause  be  constrayi?ige  of  holy  chirche  lawe.  or  londes  lawe  in 

a  ^  gret  cause,  so  pat  pe  ^  cause  be  iusteful  and  rijtful  in  a  ^  true  con- 

scieus  to  pi  witynge.  heringe.  and  knowinge.   it  is  lawfull  for  to  swere  ^' 

be  god.  ^  bot  in  no  comyn  speche.   ne  in  Idulnes.     ^  ffor  to  schew 

asooth  in  amater  pat  needes.   pat  is  lauf  ull.  pat  pou  knawest  well  it  ^  is 

true  consciens.  it  is  lauful  for  to  swere  ^  be  god  &  be  noon  oper.  '■'  but 

neuer  fals  ^  ffor  haly  writte  sais.     The  mowjth  pat  lyeth  sleeth  pe . 

^  Above  the  line  by  B.  '  In  the  margin  by  B. 


18  James  Finch  Koyster 

saule.  ^  Now  taketh  heed,  and  je  *  mowe  lerne  wat  lougeth  to  aiuste 
&  a  rijtful  oothe.  %  fFor  and  it  be  o]>er  wise  usud.  it  is  fals.  &  lesynge. 
&  penuri.^  hi  ]>e  si^th  of  god  ^  ^  leremy  fee  prophet.  leremie.  iiij. 
saith.  ])at  to  a  iiiste  ootli.  laugeth  thre  pinges,  ^  The  firste  is  truthe. 
^  The  secunde  is  good  profit.  ^[  And  ]'e  thridde  is  resonabul  doom. 
And  if  ony  of  jjese  thre  finges  faylen  from  ]nn  ooth  ]>an  is  pi  ooth 
ydul.  &  gret  syn  displesinge  to  god.  ou]'er  for  fauer  of  man.  or  if  fat 

it  be  agaynes  truthe.  &  good  consciens,     ^  Also  per  hen 
^  °  ■  "  sum  J)at*f  han  in  coTisuetude  in  byinge  and  sellinge.  and 

also  in  comyn  speche  consuetudely  sweringe.  &  in  dismembri??ge  of 
oure  lorde  ihesu  criste  in  custom.  &  in  consuetudo  &  in  Idul  wordes. 
I.  sai  it  is  deedly  synne.  ffor  ]>e  euyl  custom  encresith  ]>e  syn.  And 
also  he  ]mt  swerith  fals  with  avisement.  &  hath  it  in  custom.  ^  Also 
]>e  eomyu  pepul  bothe  men  &  wemen  ofFendith.  bothe  jeuge  &  oolde  hi 
sweringe  in  comyn  speche  gretly.  &  because  }'ai  han  it  in  custom 
iche  one  to  oper.  &  is  not  undurnemed  ^  &  ])erfor  ^  fai  haf  no  consciens 
per  of.  bot  J^e  syn  is  greues  and  agaynes  ]>e  commau?ideme?it.  fFor  he 
telles  us.  as  it  is  sayde  be  fore  and  genes  us  ensampul.  &  teches  us 
how  ]mt  we  schulde  usen  us  to  sweren.  fforsope.  truly.  &  sertely 
etcetera.'^  ^  Bot  now  ]'e  comyn  sweringe  of  comyn  pei^ul.  is  be  good, 
be  oure  lady,  be  seint  ion.  be  heuenn.  by  my  saule.  &  so  of  many 
o]>er.  I.  say  it  is  syn.  &  an  euyl  custom  &  lesinge  of  g?'ace  &  displesing 
to  god.  ^  Causa  instihicionis  est  duplex,  una.  propter  infirmitatem. 
hominum  de  facili  dubitancium.  Alia  causa  est.  propter  intandam 
ydolatriam.  ]>er  fore  in  aiuste  &  con  stray  nni7?ge  ooth  helpinge  of  pi 
neijbur  in  truthe.  it  is  lauful  for  to  swe  be  god.  Deu^ronomie.  vj. 
Domhinm  deum  tuum  timebis.  &  illi  soli  seruies.  ac  per  nomen  illius 
iurabis.  ^j  Thre  maner  of  lesinges  pe  been.  Perniciosiim.  quod  est  ex 
auaricia.  &  nulli  jjrodest.  set  obest.  Officiosum  est.  quod  non  ex 
maliciai  &  alicui  prodest.  &  alij  obest.  locosum.  quod  est  ex  leuitate 
fit.  J.M^ustinus  in  libro  contra,  mendaciuvix.  Mendacium  est*  ut  ait 
aitgrustinus.  ffalsa  significacio  vocis  cum  intendone  fallendi.     Omne  ergo 

genus  meudacij  suxnino^  opere  fuge.  quia  omne  mendaciiim 
"'  non  est  a  deo.     ^  We  rede/i  of  amiracul  of  oure  lady. 

'  Above  the  line  by  A.  -  In  the  margin  by  B. 

*  In  the  margin  by  A. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         19 

Ther  was  a  ^  clerke  ]>at  liad  gret  deuocio?t  to  oure  lady,  and  dayly  he 
wolde  worschuppen  hire,  neuerj^eles  he  was  vicius  in  swerynge  of 
grette  oothus  in  so  mekell  ]'at  god  was  wrooth  with  him.  And  ])en 
oure  lady  preid  to  hir  sone  ]>at  he  mijht  been  woon  of  hem  ])at  schulde 
be  saued.  And  up  on  aday  as  jns  clerk  was  in  his  deuocions  to  oure 
lady,  sodenly  him  poujth  ]>at  ]>er  stood  awoman  before  him  wit^ 
achilde  in,  hir  armus.  &  )>en  ]>e  clerke  spak  to  hir  &  seid.  woman  vfhat 
is  pat  ]'ou  beriste  in  ]>ine  armus.  &  ]'en  scho  answarde  &  seid  my 
childe  it  is  sayde  scho  wol  you  seen  it.  and  j'erwith  sodenly  he  haad 
asijth  of  J>e  childe.  &  he  beholdinge  ]>e  childe  saujth  ]>e  ijen  of  ]>e  ' 
childe  hangyn  on  his  chekus.  pe  armus  weren  ybroken.  ]>e  nayles  ran 
alle  on  blood,  his  flesch  was  alto  rente,  his  bomts  weren  alto  broken, 
his  herte  was  taken  out  of  ]>e  body.  And  pen  pe  clerke  said.  Alias 
woma?i  ^  saide  he  °  hoo  hath  arayed  ]n  childe  pus.  And  ]>a7i  scho 
answarde  &  saide.  what  is  he  worthy  saide  scho  pat  pus  hath  arayd 
my  childe  pus.^  fforsothe  saide  pe  clerke  he  were  worthy  payne  euer. 
fforsope  saide  scho.  pou  art  oon  of  hem  pat  pus  haath  arayed  him  pus. 
bot.  I.  haf  prayed '  for  pe  to  my  sone  *  for  grace.  &  sode?ily  scho  was 
agoon.  And  pe»i  pis  clerk  was  sory  and  ame?idith  *  hi?n.  &  mad  a  good 
ende.  Uincencius  rehersith  in  gestis  anglorum.  Of  a  knyjt  pat  was 
named  sire  robart  of  wirsetur  aful  almusful  man.  &  to  hem  specially 
pat  wolde  forsake  pe  lustes  of  pe  worlde.  Neuerpeles  he  had  cus- 
tuwabully  an  ooth  in  sweri??ge  witA  outen  eonsciens  &  amendement  & 
pis  was  his  ooth  wen  pot  he  ^  swere  by  godes  spere.  or  be  pe  spere  of 

god.    So*^  it  befell  pat  pis  kneijth  died,  and  per  was  oon 
^     ■  good  man  pat  preid  enterely  to  god  for  pis  kneijth. 

And  so  up  on  atyme  per  aperid  woon  to  pis  good  man  &  saide.  it  is 
not  pe  wille  of  god  pat  pou  pray  for  silke  asaule.  seide  he.  for  he  is 

dampned.     Then  saide  pis  holy  man  nay  saide  he.  it 

.1.  petri.  4.  Si    jjjg^y  QQ^  gQ  ]^Q    jjg  |,gjj.  ^g^g  gQ  good  aman.     Then  saide 

iustus  vix  salu-     ,  ,  . ,        ..  ,  £•    i      i    i  i      i  •       •      ^  i 

, .,      .  p    pe  angel  cometh  wttA  me.  <fe  he  ladde  him  m  to  apJace 

ooiiur  impms  a;  °  '■ 

peeeatores  ubi    ^^  payjines.   and  per  was  agret  putt.  &  Qamus  of  fyre 

apparebunt.  ofte  tymes  comou  out  per-of.   loke  in  saide  pe  angel.  & 

he  loked  in.   &  sawje  pe  kneijt  ligge  per  in  brannynge 

to  his  sijth.  &  sodenly  per  coom  oon  &  smott  him  porhout  with  aspere. 


^  Above  the  line  by  A.  ^  Above  the  line  by  B. 

^  In  the  margin  by  A.  *  The  a  is  in  the  margin  by  A. 


20  James  Finch  Boyster 

&  |>erwith  lie  maade.  agret  cry.  &  perw/tA  comen  out  flammus  of  fyre. 
and  ]>er  with  j'is  good  nmu  was  sodenly  per  he  com  fro.  &  ]>e  angel 
was  sodenly  agoo.  Then  it '  is  good  pat  we  do  aft-itr  ])e  consel  of  holy 
writte.  for  he  saith  it  is  to  walke  wil  we  han  lijth.  and  to  amendew 
us.   for  gif  pe  li^th  fayle  it  is  to  late. 


The  yridde  commaundement  of  god 

TErcium  mandatum.  Memento  quod  diem  sahhati  sanctifices.  That 
is  I  co?/imau?ide  50W.  pat  je  penken  up  on.  to  halu  pe  sonday. 
And  oper  feste  dayes  ordeyned  of  holy  chirche.  Bot  agayues 
pis  commau?idement  &  precepte  trespas  men  on  thre  manei'es.  pat  is. 
wan  pat  pou  loueste  more  erthely  wy?my?ige.  pan  ]'e  worschup  of  pe 
feste  of  sonday.  and  oper  halydayes  ordeynede  be  holy  chirche.  And 
per  to  )>ou  trauelluste  ))er  on  for  couetise.  and  pou  haste  not  so  gret 
neede.  bot  pat  pow  mijthest '  put  of  to  pe  werkeday.  ^  ffor  pat  is 
brekynge  of  pe  halyday.  pat  may  be  reiorned.  or  put  of  to  pe  w^erke- 
dayS  of  serueabul  werkes.  ^  ffor  it  is  lauful  men  for  to 
worken  on  pe  werke  day  for  per  sustinans.  ^  And  on 
pe  halyday  to  worschuppen  god  in  heringe  deuine  serues.  hope  byfore 
noon.  &  aftwr,  ^  And  rijth  as  a  man  is  bysi  on  pe  werkeday  for  his 
sustinans  for  bodely  foode.  je  &  su??ime  for  worldly  riches  hope  bifore 
noon  and  aftwr.  rijth  so  schulde  agood  criste?i  man  be  bisi.  hope 
bifore  noon  and  aftiw.  m  godes  serues  \n  heringe  of  matines.  masse, 
prechinge  of  pe  word  of  god.  &  euynsonge.  &  complyn.  ^J  And  so 
to  spende  pe  for  noon  in  pe  serues  of  god.  &  in  denote  preers.  as  Ai 
pater  noster.  a^ie  maria.  &  crede.  &  so  of  oper  aft«r  pi  ko?ini?ige.  &  in 
haly  poujthws.  And  pat  pou  hast  trespast '  agaynes  god  in  pilke  woke 
before?i.  ^[  And  so  aUur  noon,  for  to  spende  pe  halyday  co/itinually 
in  serues  of  god.  ^  Than  if  pat  pou  wolt  desire  for  to  wethe  & 
knowen  how  pat  pou  schalt  kepen  pine  halyday  ahur  noon  in  pe  serues 
of  god.     A  gret  clerke  kylwarby  rehersith  and  tellith.     That  a  good  * 

*  It  has  been  crossed  out  with  red  ink.  *  Altered  from  mi^the  by  B. 

'  Altered  from  frepast  by  A.  ■•  Altered  from  2'ha  good  by  A. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         21 

man  scliulde  visite  porere  men  &  wemen  and  for  to  loken  &  enqueren. 
&  visite/i  afturnoones  pore  bedrade/i  men  &  weme?(.  ]'e  wilke  been 
godes  preisiuers.  &  lyen  hi  ]>e  booudes  of  god  in  sore  sekeness.  And 
]>erto  haue  no  refressynge.  bot  of  good  men  &  me>-cyful.  And  of  he?u 
be  to  ve^ve.  ^  Bot  )'e  consel  of  holy  writte  is.  ]mt  j'ou  be  oon  of  hem 
fat  been  merciful.  &  euer  haf  ]>ou  mynde  of  ]>e  pore  & 
Betitimisericor-    ^^^^,^^,_       -r  g.^^.    ^^    ^j|g    ^^j.^    g^^    grauntith    mercy. 

,  ■        -J    Psalm.    JBeatus  qui  mtelligit  super  egenum  &  paiiperem. 

est.   misericor-    etcetera  ffor  to  alle  silke  god  grauntith  mercy,     ^j  bo 
dia.  upon  ]'e  haly  day  aftu/'noones  to  sitte  be  fam  &  com- 

forde  J'am  i  now  oon  halyday  to  woon.  &  anof er  haly- 
day  to  auo]'er.  &  so  alle  abowten.  &  so  for  to  sitte  be  hem  &  talke 
with  he?n.  &  comfort  J'am  be  good  wordes.  &^  for  to  suffur  ]>er  sekeues 

mekely  and  ]'e  chastesinge  of  god  lowely.  ffor  god 
.Naum  2.  ],encchith  not*  dowbul.  heer  &  hennes.    ^  ffor  gif  ]xit  we 

take?i  oure  sekenes  mekely.  and  gruche  not  agayne  god. 
we  schul  be  with  him  partyner  of  his  passio?i.  &  rewarde  in  ]>e  blisse  of 
heuejme.  ^  ffor  it  is  agret  token  of  loue  of  god  to  us.  wen  he  sendet  us 
sekenes.  or  loos  of  good,  or  katel.  etcetera,  ^^joca^ypsis.  S.  Ego  quos  amo. 
arguo  &  castigo.  JE;cclesiastici.  31.  Infirmitas  grauis.  sobriam  facit  ani- 
mam.  ^  Than  if  we  gruchen  wilfully  agaynes  god.  )'en  lese  we  rewarde 
of  god.  for  oure  unpacie7?s.  ^  The  best  remedy  is  ]>e  passion  of  oure  lorde 
ihesu  criste.  &  l^enke  if  we  suffur  mekely.  we  schulle?i  be  partyner 
with  him  of  his  passion  in  his  gorie.  ^  And  in  )ns  maner  for  to '  sitte 
be  hem  and  eo??iforde  ]>am  in  god.  alle  l^is  is  gostly  alra«sdedes.  ^  And 
if  fou  may  gif  J'am  bodely  almns  as  mete,  or  drinke  :  or  bofe  in  com- 
forde  of  )'am.  or  clopinge  aftwr  ]>i  pouer.  &  so  in  ]ns  00  visitacion  of 
charite.  ]'0U  fulfilleste.  iij.  dedes  of  mercy  bedely '  &  gostly.  ^  And 
fen  hoom  to  fin  euynsonge.  &  so  hoom  till  fin  awne  hows,  and  fen  is 
fis  commaundement  keped.  &  fe  halyday  wel.  I.  spendeth.  And  fen 
for  to  encrese  loue  &  charite.  it  is  lauful  ynowe.  for  to  take  in  aueijbur. 
or  two.  or  iij.  or  as  many  as  fou  wolte.  fai  to  come  to  fine,  howse.  or 
fou  to  faren.  and  disporte  50W  in  alle  honeste  &  laufulnes.  &  sitte  & 
talken  of  goodnes.  an  howre.  or  silke  atyme.  &  so  ich  oon  take  his 
leue  &  goo  to  his  awne     ^  Bot  je  salle  undttrstonde.  %e  wyn  &  ale 

1  Above  the  line  by  B.  *  Above  the  line  by  A. 

3  So  the  MS. 


22  James  Finch  Royster 

sitteris.  &  ^e  dijspleers.  &  hasardwrtts.  ]>at  spenden  fe  halyday  in 
gloteny  &  in  waaste.  &  woon  of  jow  destrith  ]>at  wolde  susteyne  mony 
mesurabul  men  in  ]>e  luste  of  glotene.  &  alleso  wastith  ^owre  good.  & 
o])er  mennes  to '.  and  maketh  jowre  baly '  ^owre  good.  And  ^owre 
chirche  ]'e  taueme,  ^  )'e  prophet  ysai  saith.  in  ]>e  name  of  god.  ysai.  5. 
ve  qni  consurgitis  mane  ad  hebrietatem  seccandam.  &  potandxim  usque  ad 
uesperam.  Ve  qui  potentes  ad  bibendum.  vinuva. '.  &  visi  fortes  ad  mis- 
sendicm  ebrietatem.     ^lo  je  glotonws  &  wastwres  of  majines  sustina?is. 

heer  je*  mowe  here  j^at  good  warieth  jow.  &  jowre 
^  °  ■        ^  maystwr  ]>e  wicked  spirit  gladeth  jow.  &  biddith  50W 

alle  be  mery  &  glad,  for  fis  wol  make  jow  men  he  saith.  &.  I.  wol 

rewarde  jow  in  tyme  to  comynge  for  jowre  ocupacion. 
■|  -pri  e.  ^  Therwith  cometh  in  pride.  &  settith  him  in  ]>e  middel 

of  alle.  and  fan  he  beginneth  to  boste  &  ruso7i  him  self  of  many  ]nnges 

]>at  he  hath  not.  ne  kowde.  &  alle  saien  it  is  sooth. 
\.couetise.  ^  Then  couetise  herith  J^at.  &]?an  cometh  he  in  boldely. 

&  he  cherith  ]>am  alle.  and  anoon  he  bi  ginneth  for  to  bargen.  and  ]>en 

lacketh  not  gret  oj'us  &  sweri??ges  and  J'an  is  ich  of  ]?am 
]\ .  echere.  abowte  to  begyle  o]?er.     ^  Then  cometh  in  lechere.  and 

he  lokuth  al  abowthe  ]>e  hows.  &  ]>en  he  settith  him  downe  on  \>e 
benche.  and  ]>e7i  beginneth  he  to  speke.  &  bringe  in  oolde  storius  of 
weraen  &  of  lustus.  &  ribaldy.  &  faste  he  rusith  himself  of  olde  synnes. 
and  alle  lau^en.  &  been  glad  to  here  his  prechinge.     ^  Than  cometh 

in  glotone  )'e  stuard  of  )'at  howsolde.  &  he  cherith  pam 
^.gloteny.  ^^^^   ^  bidith  ))am  sitte  stille  &  be  mery  and  glad,  so 

]>at  noon  of  jow  go  hoom  bot  it  be  so  he  be  sad.  or  a  staf  in  his  hooude 

for  fallyn^e.  ^Than  slowthe  herith  JjIs  maundement. 
1j  .sloweih.  ^^^  .g  ^^  marchel  of  fat  halle.  &  fen  he  ouerloketh  fam 

alle.     And  peii  he  chargeth  Idulnes  to  cheren  fam  alle.  &  to  sitte 

stille.  and  fat  f e  cuppe.  be  not  empte  ne  tume.  ^  Than 
Tl  .wrath.  <fc  ^^  j^^  j^g^^  ^^^g  comith  in  wrath  &  he  bringeth  with  him 

enuye.  &  reku?meth  fer  acunthes.  for  fat  he  is  tresureer 
of  fat  howsoolde.  he  chargeth  fat  noon  of  hem  parte  fro7?i  ofer  in 
charite.  &  loke  he  saith  wen  f  at^euer  je  com  togedwr  fat  noon  speke  * 
good  of  ofer.  ne  of  jowre  neijbwres.     And  fensaide  fai  alle  Amen. 

'  So  the  MS.  "  of  ^ow  speke  struck  out  with  red  ink. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         23 

%  Loo  je  deuilles  portures.  &  co/isumers  of  sustiuans.  &  wastttres  of 

5owre  good  m  ]>e  synne  of  glotone.  &  je  euer  i?i  nede.# 
(col.  2)  ^  nedy.  ]jer  and  je  were  in  god  gouernel.  je  luistli  haf 

plente.  And  ])e  cause  of  alle  pis.  is  lac  of  drede  of  god.  &  settinge 
nojt  be  his  co??imandementis.  &  lustus  of  flesch.  &  Idulnes  of  spiritus 
in  goodnes,  ^  Also  )'er  been  sum  o]>er.  ]>at  on  ]>e  halidai.  wol  bigynne 
]>er  gurnay  f .  I.  sai.  J'ai  breke  ]>e  cojnmandeme/it  aftur  ]>e  doctrine  of 
holy  writte.  he.  &  his  werke  beste.  &  alle  pat  perteneth  to  his  how- 
solde.  beoth  ^  bouvide  to  reste  on  l>e  halyda '  bot  gret  neede  constrane 
it.  &  jet  wolde  }>is  haf  prouidencia.  Avit/i  reson.  ^j  Haue  pou  mynde 
how  pat  god  biddith  pe  do.  In  exodo.  20.  wher  ]>at  he  saith.  ^  Thou 
schalt  do  no  serueabul  werkes.  naiper  pou.  neper  pi  wif.  ne  pi  childere 
ne  pi  seruantws.  neper  pi  strangitr  in  pi  hows,  pat  is  he  pat  sugwrneth 
in  pin  hows,  neiper  pi  werke  beeste.  for  pe  beste  may  not  labttr  wit/t- 
oute?t  pe  constrayni/ige  of  man.     ^  Therfore  holy  writt  sais.  Li  exodo. 

xxxj.  Omnis  qui  fecerit  opus  in  hac  die  viorieiur.  ^  Bot 
Glossa.  id  est.      ^^^^  ^^  desauied  because  of  wilfulnes.  &  because  of 

couetise.  &  be  temptacion.  ysidox\\%.  Multi  decipiuntur 
a  diabolo.  &  ignorant  se  esse  deceptos.  Many  been  deseyued  of  pe 
deuil.  &  it  is  unknawen  to  hem.  cause  wy.  for  pai  wol  not  knawe  it. 
^  ffor  god  charguth  pe  be  his  co«!mau?i-demewtis.  pat  pou  sallt  reste.  & 
pi  werke  beste.  ^  Also  summe  been  bisi  on  pe  werkeday  heerly  up  & 
late  downe.  for  to  gete  wordely  good  &  riches.  Bot  wen  pe  halyday 
comes  pat  pai  schulde  be  heerly  up  for  to  go  to  matines  &  gete  gras  & 
pe  loue  of  god.  pat  tyme  pai  spene  i/i  sluje  &  luste  of  per  fleche.  &  in  ^ 
lechere.  &  so  pai  schul  be  puniche  as  abeste.  for  pe  ^  loue  of  god  & 
reson  lacketh.     ^  ffor  pe  gratis  brekynge  of  pe  halydai  is '.  aman  or 

awoman  for  to  ^  goon  a  bowte  #  syn.  or  for  to  gif  ony 
(fol.  l-3b)  occasion  of  syn  to  ony  oper.      ^.ti^/ustinus.  Melius  est  in 

diebus  festiuus  arare.    uel  fodere.    quum   choreas   ducere.   Mard.    2. 
Sabatum  propter  hominem  factum  esti  et  non  homo  propter  sabatum. 


1  In  the  margin  by  A.  *  Above  the  line  by  A. 

*  Above  the  line  by  B. 


24  James  Finch  Royster 


TJie  fourfhe  commaundement  of  god. 

OUartum  mandatum.  Exod.  2.  honora  patrem  tuum  &  matrem 
tuam.  id  sis  longeuus  super  terram.  guam  dominus  deu$  tuus 
dabit  tihi.  3fathe\.  15.  Honora  patrem  tuum.  &  matrem.  & 
qui  maledixerit  patri  uel  matri  morte  moriatur.  This  is  to  meue.  I. 
commau7ide  50W  seith  god.  ]>at  je  worsclmp  ^owre  fadt<r,  &  maditr.  & 
loueth  })am  in  jowre  hertes.  &  helpitli  ]'am  at  need.  ^  And  be)'enke 
]>e  had  not  )'ai  be.  )>ou  had  not  ben.  And  greuith  f am  noujth  neiper 
i;i  word  ne  in  deed,  ffor  in  alle  }nnge  Vat  is  lauful  ]>ou  sehalt  been 
obedient  to  I'am.  and  no  firre.  ^fFor  ]>o\i  sehalt  not  bre  noon  of 
])e  commandemeJitis  of  god  ue)>er  for  faditr  ne  modwr,  ]>o\\i  )'ai  wold 
kurse  fe  ])erfore.  ne  for  noon  o\er  man.  ffor  ]'ou  sehalt  loue  god  & 
drede  hi?n  ouer  alle  jnnge.  In  actibus  apostolorum.  5.  Obedire  ojjortet 
deo  magis  qusun  hominibus.  dedit  deus  spiritwn  sanctuHi  omnibus 
obedientibus  sibi.  ^  Moreouer  aftMr  J^ai  be  deede  fast  for  fam.  preith 
for  l^am.  &  gar  lett  massus  be  songon  for  j^am.  and  o]^er  deedes  of 
mercy  and  almus  aftwr  ]n  power.  And  pen  ^  be  hijtus  god "'  )'e  his 
blessiuge.  and  ]>e  blessinge  of  pi  fadtir  &  modwr.  &  ioye  of  pi  childeren. 
&  forgifines  of  pi  synes.  ^  Bot  gif  pou  do  agaynes  pis  co??imau/!  de- 
ment, pou  getyste  pe  schert  lijf  &  soru  of  pi  childeren.  and  warienge 
of  god.  &  fadwr.  &  modnr.  &  many  oper  angwres  in  pi  lijf  je  &  jeuel 
dayes  &  pe  payne  of  helle.  gregonns.  ^nime  defundorum  qnatuor 
viodis  absoluuntur.  Aut  obladoiiibns  sacerdotum.  Aut  precibus  sanc- 
torum. And  carorum  elemosinis.  Ant  leiuniorum  cogiiatorum.  ^ This 
haly  werke  seint  gregor  saith.  That  pe*^  saules  of  pam 
^^°  ■  "  pat  ar  deed  arne  lowsud  out  of  payne  of  p((rgatori  on 

foure  maneres  of  wyse.  woon  is  be  masse  synginge.  The  secunde  is 
be  preers  of  saintes.  And  pe  j'ridde  is.  of  per  frendes  almus  deedes 
doinge.  And  pe  fourthe  is.  of  fastinge  of  per  kosy?!nes.  ^  Also  pou 
sehalt  worschup  pi  modwr  holy  chirche.  &  hir  seruantes.  for  pai  been 
oure  gostly  fadurus.  Lo  haly  writte  sais.  Deum  time.  &  sacerdotes 
eius  sanctifica  in  tola  anima  tua.  This  is.  in  alle  pi  saule  dredeth  god. 
&  halde  his  prestes  haly.  and  dispise  not  his  seruantes.    And  also  seint 

^  Above  the  line  by  B. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments        25 

paule  sais.  Ad  Galathas.  vj.  Comunicet  auteva  is  qui  catherizatwx 
uerbo  f  ei  qni  se  catherizat  in  omn!"6us  bonis.  This  is.  ]>at  ilke  a  man 
salle  gyf  parti  of  his  goodes  tille  him  ]Hit  techis  him  godes  wordes 
And  also  seint  paule  sais.  Ad  corinthios.  ix.  Nesdiis  qnomam  qui  in 
sacrario  operantur  de  sacrario  edunt.  et  qui  altario  deseruiunt.  de 
altar io  jmrticipantur.  id  est.  Ad  thimothem.  v.  Dignus  est  operarius 
mercede  sua.  3Iathe\.  x.  Dig)ius  est  enim  operanus  cibo  suo.  id  est. 
corinthiorum.  ix.  Ita  &  dens  ordinauit  hijs  qui  eunngelium  anuuciant. 
de  euangelio  uiuere.  luce.  x.  In  quacumque  domum  i7dTSiuertis  pTimum 
diciie.  piax  huie  domui.  In  eadem  domo  axdem  manetei  edentes  & 
bibentes  que  apud  illos  sunt.  Dignus  est  enim  operarius  mercede  sua. 
Et  in  qua.cumque  ciuitatem  intraueritis '.  et  susceperint  vos  manducate 
que  apponuwiur  vobis.  ^  And  also  l^ou  sallte  worsup  ]n  gastely  modur 
haly  chirche  in  word.  ]mt  is.  speke  not  in  chirche.  hot  preiers  and 
louynges  to  god.  &  to  his  modur  &  to  alle  saintes.  And  auoyde 
iangelinges.  scornes.  &  demynges.  &  laujinges.  ftbr  fou  comeste  to^ 
])i  modwr  holy  chirche  for  to  serue  god.  &  for  to  do  no  serues  to  ]>e 
■wicked  spirite.  luce.  xix.  Domus  mea.  domus  oracionis  vocabitus.  Myn 
bowse  seith  god.  is  an  howse  of  pj-eiers.  And  also  J'ou  salt  worsup  ]'e 
vij  sacj-amentis.  of  holy  chirche.  Now  her  sufficith 
(fol.  124)  Inowjt  to  telle  ]'e  for  to  worschup  ])i  fad»/-  &  modur.< 


The  fyfthe  commaundement  of  god 

Ouintum  mandatum  %  Non  oecides.  ^That  is.  I.  conimaunde 
]>e  ]Kit  pou  slee  not.  •^  Bot  agaynes  ]ns  commaundement  doos 
he  l^at  slees  wit^  hond.  or  wi't/i  worde.  or  wille.  or  Jmt  )'0u 
witAhaldes.  or  a  draweste  fro  aman  his  liifinge.  or  his  sustinans. 
Deuironomii.  xxiiii.  Non  negabis  mercedem  indigentis.  &  pauperis, 
set  eadem  die  reddes  ei  j^recutm  laboris  sui  ante  solus  occasum  quia 
pauper  est.  &  eo  sustentat  auimam  suam.  ne'^  clamet  contra  te  ad 
dominum.  &  reputetur  tibi  in  j^eccatum.  lusticia  est  reddere  unicuique 
quod  sxmm  est.  luce.  vj.  Et  prout  ^^ultis  ut  faciant  vobis  homines.  &  vos 
facite  illis  similiter.     <lj  Agaynes  slaujtttr  yfith  ]nne  handes.  habetur  in 

^  Above  the  line  by  B. 


26  James  Finch  Royster 

genm.  he  I'at  spillit  ma7ines  blood,  his  blood  schal  be  spilled,  iij.  libri 
regMwi.  xxi.  of  fe  kynge  Acab.  &  of  iesabal  his  wijf.  and  of  )'e  good 
man  nabot  And  so  of  many  anoj^er  ]ml  we  reden  of  m  haly  writte. 
^  Agaynes  manws  slaujtur  K'ith  wille.  JoAannis.  iij.  he  fat  hateth  his 
bro}>er  is  aman  sleer.  And  he  fat  loueth  not  his  broker,  dwellith  in 
deth.  Jo  Aannis.  iiij.  Siqnis  dixerit  ^uoniam  diligo  deum.  &  fra,irem 
suum  oderit.  viendax  est.  7d  est.  Qui  enim.  ?ion  diligU  /ratrewi 
suum  quern  videt.  deum.  queni  ??on  uidet.  ^uomodo  potest  diligere. 
^  Agaynes  man  slawjtur  in  word.  Li  Micha  jnopheta,.  God  saide  to 
]>e  folk  of  amon.  for  ]>o\i  maad  ioy  with  fin  honde  &  dauwsed  yvith  fi 
f eeth  in  f e  slautt;r  ^  of  my  ^  folke  of  israel '.  I.  shal  slee  ]>e.  Ecde- 
siastici.  viij.  Noli  de  viortuo  tuo  ^  inimico  gaudere.  sciens  ^uoniam 
omnes  morientwY.  ^  And  alle  so  aseruant.  or  aminister.  if  fat  he  do 
wilfully  wit^  good  wille.  putteth  to  deed  him.  ]'at  is  dampned  be 
iustes.  And  also  him  fat  fou  lattes  dye  for  hugtir.  if  fat  fou  mijthes 
fede  him.  *^  And  so  him  ])at  fou  eggest  to  synne.  ^  And  seint  lerom 
sais.  Also  if  ]'at  fou  hide  fe  bred  of  techinge  &  good  lijfinge.  fou 
sallte  be  punichid  for  fi  silens.  &**  for  trespas  fat  fou 
(col.  2)  mijtheste   amende.     ^  Therfore  he   is   called   an  euel 

seruant  in  fe  gospell.  fat  hideth  f e  besant  of  his  lorte.  and  f erfore  he 
was  putte  in  preson.  ^  And  alle  so  euil  prelatus  fat  geuith  wra??ge 
ensampul  to  f  er  suggetis  in  worde  or  deede.  ^  Or  ^vith  haldeth  f  er 
gostly  fode.  or  bodely.  if  j'ai  neede.  grre^orius  in  moralium.  Omnis 
qui  male  uiuit  in  conspectu  eorum  in  quibus  prepositus  est.  ^uam  m 
ijyso  est  occidit  eos.  Id.  est.  Clamor  subditornm  venit  ad  deum  pro 
ignorancia  &  dejedu  prelatomm.  ^  Sei^it  Austin  rehersith  to  alle 
bacbiteres  &  detractures.  and  to  alle  fam  fat  geuith  ]^er  eris  to  heringe 
of  f er  euille  speche.  ^  ffor  he  saith.  it  is  mare  syne  to  him  ^  fat 
hereth^  fe  bacbiter!  fan  it  is  to  him  fat  bacbiteth.  ffor  he*  fat 
speketh  illee  &  bacbituth.  &  it  were  so  J)at  he  haad  not  an  herer,  he 
mijth  not  bacbite.  And  he  saith.  bofe  ])e  bacbiter.  &  fe  herer  eif er 
togedwr.  it  is  ri^tful  ])at  ])ai  been  bo))e  punichid.  ^]  And  also  fe 
bacbiter  &  fe  feyner.  &  he  fat  makuth  similacion.  fat  by  foren  aman 


^ofmy  repeated,  and  struck  out  with  red  ink. 

^ gaudere  struck  out  with  red  ink  between  tuo  and  inimico. 

^  f)at  hereth  repeated,  and  struck  out  with  red  ink. 

*  Above  the  line  by  A. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         27 

spekuth  fru/idely.  &  behynde  his  backe  preuely.  he  bacbith  &  speketh 
illee.  And  with  his  frende  he  spekith  peesybul.  and  undwr  ]>ai  preuyly 
he  settith  spies  for  to  do  him  malys.  Thou  schalt  undwrstonde.  )>at 
pe  bacbiter  sleeth  himself.  &  his  heerer.  and  anulluth  him  fat  he 
bacbituth.  ludicare  fraXxem  est.  (^ua/ido  nee  loquitur,  uqc  comedit  cum 
eo.  ymmo  alios,  a  cousorcio  eius  subtrahit. 


The  sixte  commaundement  of  god. 

Sextum  mandatum  Non  mechaberis.  That  is.  I.  cowmaunde  50 w  je 
dele  wt't/i  no  wemen.  bot  \n  truje  matrimoni.  "fl  ffor  now.  undwr 
j'is  co?Hraau?idement  is  conteyned  alle  maner  of  lechere.  bothe 
kyndely.  and  agaynes  kynde. '  And  also  gostly  lechere.  ^  ^  Bot  ]50U  * 
maiste  undwrstonde.  fat  aman  &  his  wiif '  may  syn  ful  greuesly  togedwr 
so  fai  may  do.  je  &  deedly.  &  fat  is.  if  fai  doon  of envise  fan  reson- 
nabul  kynde  askes.  or  ony  pynte  agaynes  kynde.  Or  oonly  for 
luste  withoute?*  ony  rosonnabul  causus  ^  fFor#  I.  fynde 
(fol.  l-4b)  wreten.    ffor.    iiij.    cause    aman    may   uson*   his   wijf 

laufully.  &  f  ai  sufficen  to  a  good  cristen  man  &  resonabul.  ^  The 
firste  is.  fat  it  be  euer  kyndely  Idoo.  and  cause  of  getinge  of  chidereji. 
^  The  secuwde  is.  eldinge  of  dette  m  dewe  tymes  eyf  er  to  of  er.  ^  The 
f ridde  is  cause  of  uncontinens  And  f e  fourthe  is.  for  to  eschue  fornich- 
acion  ef  er  of  of  er.  ^  And  halsynge  of  f  e  wijf  schal  he  ^  not  refuse  ® 
in  holy  tyme  so  fat  scho  haf  no  cause ''  of  noon  of  er.  Neuerles  f  e  asker 
is  f  e  trespasstw.  if  f  er  be  ony  defaute.  %  ffor  of  er  wiles  it  is  lauful 
aman  for  to  uson  his  wijf.  &  ofer  wiles  not.  aftur  fe  wordes  of  seint 
Austin.  ^  ^wgrustinus.  Christia?io  cum  uxore  sua  aliquando  licet 
conuenire.  aliqusindo  non.  propter  processionis  dies.  &  ieiunorum 
aliquando  non  licet  conuenire.  etcetera..  Item  quociens  dies  natalis.  uel 
reliquie  festiuitates  sanctorum  aduenerit.  a  proprijis  uxoribus  est 
abstinendum.     Whet  ^e  wel   fat  lechere   is   agret  syn   fer  as  it  is 

^  In  the  margin  by  A.  ^  Above  the  line  by  A. 

'  In  the  margin  by  B. 

*  Altered  from  son  by  B,  the  u  being  above  the  line. 

5  Above  the  line  by  A.  ^  Altered  by  B  to  refused. 

''  Altered  from  can  by  B. 


28  James  Finch  Royster 

mysusud.  ^  ffor  bytwyne  ^  a  sengel  ^  luau.  &  sengul  woman  is  deedly 
syn.  je&pe  ful  cowsente  to  )>e  deede  wit/touteu  )'e  dede  doi/ige  is  deedly 
syn  in  sengul  ma^i  &  woman,  ffor  seint  lerom  sais.  euer  aperfit  wille  is 
euer  take  for  l^e  dede  i)i.  ]'e  sijt  of  god.  be  it  to  good,  or  be  it  to  illee. 
Mathei.  v.  Non  mechabevis.  Quia  omuls  qui  viderit  vndierem  ad 
concupiscendum^  earn,  etcetera.  ^  Avotre  is  grat?<}' 
J.  iacobi.  ^  Pec-  gynne  ]'e?i  sengul.  And  incestus  is  more  synne  ]>en 
catumwrocum  ^^^^^^^^^  Incestus  is.  he  ]mt  delith  viith  nonne.  witA 
consummatum     .  .  ,  ,  •  i    •    ?       n    i    i   n         • 

,     .  kosyn.  or  Vfith.  amaydon.  )'e  wicn  is    called  detloracio. 

mortem.  Bot  ]:ie  grast  is  &  ]'e  hieste  synne  of  alle  is  sodomite  and 

synne  agayues  kynde.  ^  Incestus.  a.  quasi  incastus. 
qui  cum.  monyali.  uel  cum  sanguinea.  uel  idrgine  concumbit.  Bot 
ouer  alle  sodomite  is  ]>e  worste.  ffor  sainte  austin  sais.  ^j  .^w^ustinus. 
Quod  longer  maius  crimen  est.  quam  cognoscere  mutrem.  %Item 
^tt^ustinus.  Adultevium  j/iaZtanS  vincit  Jornicacionem. 
^     '  vincitur  aufem  ab    incestu.  j^eiiis   est   cum  viatre  guam 

cum  aliena  uxore  conciawbere.  set  omnium  Aorum  est  pessimum.  quod 
contra,  naturam  Jit.  ^  Isti  omnes  vocantur  sodomite.  Masculus  cum 
Masculo.  uel  ffemina  cumfemina.  uel  Masculus  cum  Jemina.  A^igusXi- 
nus.  Quocumque  autem  modo  tale  factum  exercet  preterquam  inter 
hominem  et  feminam  ordinate.  &  in  vase  debito.  vicixim  contra  natiiram. 
&  sodomiticium  iudicatur.  ^  Also  J'is  commandement  forbedith  alle 
unlauful  cussynges.  &  clippinges.  &  ragynges.  &  unclene  touchinge. 
ffor  he  I'at  towchith  picke.  is  defouled  of  \>e  picke.  ^  A  good  ma?i  of 
religion  wol  euer  be  tille  ilke  man  &  woman,  as  J'ouj  his  prior  sat 
besydes  j^am  &  sawe  &  herde.  ^  A  good  weddeth  man  wol  be  to  ilke 
aAvoman.  as  |'ouj  ^ai  his  wijf  herde  &  sau^e.  &  ]>e  wijf  also  to  hir 
husboonde.  &  a  jinge  man.  or  woman,  as  }>er  fadwr.  or  modi(r  herde. ^ 
or  sauje.  ^[  A  seruajit  man  or  woma?i.  as  fer  maysttw  &  maystwras 
herde  or  knew.  In  alle  ))inges  \ai  perteyneth  to  syn.  or  to  untruthe. 
^  ffor  euer  homlynes.  &  towchinges.  &  halkus  and  hemes.  &  cussinges 
&  sittynges  *  &  ofte  used,  bringeth  men  <fe  women  to  syn.  Bot  agood 
man  or  woman  J^at  dredith  god.  jinge.  or  wolde  of  what  so  gree  so  euer 

'  sengel  is  repeated,  and  struck  out  with  red  ink  ;   the  a  is  in  the  margin  by  B. 

'  Above  the  line  by  B. 

"  herde  repeated,  and  struck  out  with  red  ink. 

*  In  the  margin  by  A. 


A  Middle  English   Treatise  on  the   Ten   Commandments         29 

he  be.  he  wol  avoyde  &  schonon  al  silke  tokennes.  fFor  silke  maner 
usinges  is  more  for  luste.  ]>&n.  for  deuocion  to  holynes.  ysidoYWs.  Non 
enim.  per/ecte  viciuva.  vincitur  nisi  sollicite  causa  &  oportnnitas  viciij 

caueatur.  ^  Seiut  paule  saith.  it  is  good  j'iiige  to  aman 
.1.  coiinthio-  ^^^  f^j,  ^q  towchen  a  woraaw.  And  seint  austin  seith.  if 
rum.    vij.    au-    ^^^^  j^  -^^  ^^^^  jiinge  not  for  to  towchen  awoma?i.  J^en  he 

saith.  it  is  euil  Jnnge  for  to  towchen  hir.  ^  So  it  semith 
bi  lioly  writte  &  be  doctt(?-es.  \ai  howjeuer  aman  toche  awoman.  or  ]?e 

woman  ]'e  man  for  histe.  it  defilith  pe  saule  saue  wit/i  i?i 
(fol.  l-o)  ^^^  sacrament  oi^  wedlock.     ^  Also  ]'ou  man  or  woman 

jiat  suffreste  lechere  \n  \\\\  howse  usnd.  knawyuge.  Or  pat  pou  co?;- 
senteste  to  ony  oj'er.  Or  suffreste  it  wytiugely.  per  pat  hit  perteyneth 
to  pe  to  ame7i.de  it.  Or  if  pat  pou  mijthe  amende  it.  I.  say  pat  pou 
schalt  be  pinisched  be  pe  doome  of  god  as  he  pat  dooth  J'e  deede, 
Miur  pe  wordes  of  seint  paule.  And  aftwr  pe  wordes  of  holy  writt  & 
doctures.  £'cc/esiastici.  xxi'j.  Precurre  prior  in  dovium  tuam  pecca.ta 
abieiendo.  ne  tecum  veniant  m  morte.  %  Ad  romanos.  i.  Non  solum 
qui  faciunt  digni  sunt  morte !  set  qui  consenciunt.  facientibus. 
^  Isidoms.  Non  solum  f adores !  set  &  consocios  peccsiti  tenere  obnoxios. 


The  scmfth  commaundement  of  god. 

Septimum  viandatum  est.  Non  furturn  fades,  beer  is  forbodon. 
Sacrilege.  And  rauen.  And  ocur.  And  symony.  Alle  untrue ' 
Mesures.  And  fals  wijthes.  &  mettes.  for  to  bye  be  woon.  &  ^ 
sella  bi  anopur.  ^[  Sacrilege  is.  wen  haly  pinge.  or  nnhalued  is  taken 
out  of  haly  place  wttAoute?i  lauful  leue.  And  also  it  is  sacrilege  to 
spende  haly  chirche  goodes  in  mys  use.  Or  to  witt  draw  truje  tythus. 
Offringes.  or  rentes,  j'at  perteyneth  truly  to  haly  chirche.  %  Ocur  is 
on  diuerse  maneres.  As  if  pou  take  outh  for  pe  lone.  Or  sellest  derre 
for  pe  lone  &  for  pe  respite  of  pe  lone,  or  delay  of  tyme.  Or  if  pou 
lene  a  weed  to  a  day  be  enprise.  &  he  breke  pe  day  pou  takest  alle. 
And  on  pe  same  wise  of  fermus  &  of  londes.    Seint  gregor  sais.  abouen 


1  xvipes  struck  out  with  red  ink  before  mesures.  *  Above  the  line  by  B. 


30  James  Finch  Royster 

alle  merchaundise.  of  byinge.  or  sellynge.  or  lenynge.  I.  kursede  be 
fe  ocurer.  gxtgoxixxs.  Unde  super  omrxes  merchatores !  phis  maledicttis 
est  usarius.  Also  gif  aman  gif  to  alord.  or  leueth  tresur.  for  ]>at  ]'e 
lorde  schulde  gif  his  sone  a  benefice.  ^  Also  agaynes  ]ns  commande- 
meiit  dooth  be  ]>at  usuth  any  rauen.  )'at  is  be  pat  taketb  anoj^er  mannes 
good  wrongely.  on  see.  or  londe  agaynes  biswille.  to  bis 
^^^  '    ^  knawinge.  or^^  to  bisunknoui/ige.    ^[  Rape  is.  of  nonnes. 

or  maydenes.  &  wedues.  efeetera.  ^|  Also  a  gaynes  fis  commaunde- 
ment  doos  alle  fese  werkemen  of  crafte.  And  ]'ese  labirrers.  pat 
maketb  euel  werke.  &  selletb  it  for  good  J'inge  &  good  werke.  kuoinge 
wel  jjat  be  dooth  defraude  &  begylynge  to  bis  euyncristen.  &  so  be 
selletb  wit/i  ootbes  bis  good  falsly.  and  be  gilitb  bis  broiler  untruly. 
^  Also  j'ese  labttreres.  J'at  maken  couenant  be  )'e  day.  or  be  ]?e  woke 
for  to  do  truly  per  lahur.  for  aserten  of  hire,  and  j^ai  fayneu.  or 
loytr^m.  or  putte?i  of  pat  pat  }'ai  mijtb  do  in  oon  day.  put  it  of  in  to  two 
dales,  or  aday  and  anbalf.  for  couedse.  I.  say  bit  is  pette.  fFor  pe  same 
couenant  pat  be  maketb  for  to  be  truly  payed  for  bis  ]a.hur.  on  })e 
same  wise  ]'e  same  couenant  byndeth  him  in  pe  sijtb  of  god  for  to  do  ^ 
truly  bis  labwr  in  alle  ]>inges  j^at  is  i7i  laufulnes.  ne}'er  ^  i?i  longe  sit- 
tinges  ne  in  puttynges  ^  of  i  ffor  )'e  wille  of  god  is.  pat  aman  scbal  do 
to  bis  neijbitr.  as  be  wolde  pat  bis  neijb?*?-  dede  to  bim.  ^  And  also 
fis  co7Mmau?idement  forbeditb  alle  maner  w/tA  drawinge  wrongesly  of 
an  oper  mannes  god.  And  ]'at  is.  we)'er  J>at  it  be  take  priuily.  or 
oponly.  be  stenpe.  or  be  sotilte.  or  be  fals  wordes.  or  fals  mesurus. 
mettis.  or  wi^tbes.  or  fals  opus  &  feyned.  %  Also  )'o  pat  do  not  per 
dwteus  to  ^  boly  cbircb  i  &  as  poo  pat  payetb  not  bir  dettus  &  per 
tytbes  truly.  And  pat  makutb  not  per  ofFri?^ges.  &  oblacions  dewly. 
Or  pat  dootb  ony  wronge  priuyly.  or  apertely  to  boly  cbircbe.  Al 
pet*  doos  agaynes  pe  commawndement.  ^Also  po  pat  witA  boldeth 
werkemen  per  bire.  Or  per  awne  mennes  wages,  for  per  tmuel.  or  for 
per  wages  &  bire.  silke  men  kepit  not  pis  C07nma»ndement.  ^[  Also 
poo  pat  oppresit  bis  tenantes.  or  pat  meynteineth  fals  querellis.  or  pat 
dootb  ony  extorsions.  or  wronges  for  couetise.  or  for  batradon.  or  for 

'  Above  the  line  by  A.  *  Altered  from  ne  by  B. 

^  Altered  from  puUynge  by  B. 
*  Altered  from  />c  by  B. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten   Commandmenis        31 

malis  to  \er  sugettus.  or  to  any  oj'er.  Jjai  kepe  not  )ns  comma?mde- 
me?it.  ^[  And  also  J'ai  ]>at  binemith  amarinus  good  name,  or  profit,  be 
pnue  detraccion.    In  alle  f ese  beforesaid  and  m  many  o]'er  is  brekynge 

of  ]>Q  cojumawndementes  of  god.     ^j  In  c?euteronomio. 

2^.^  Non  negabis  mercedem  indigentis  &  paupevis  & 
cetera,  ^j  lAice.  xv.  Qni  fidelis  est  in  viinimo '.  &  in  maior  fidelis  est. 
Et  qui  in  modico  iniquus  est.  &  in  maior  iniquus  est.  Item  nota.  Quod 
ita  committitur  furtum.  In  reparua  '.  sicut  in  magna.  Item  ieronimns. 
ffurtum  non  solum  in  maioribns.  set  eciavi  in  minoribus  itidicatur. 
jS'oii  enim  qnod  fftirto  ablatum  est',  set  mens  furantis  attendituv. 
'^Conmpicencia.  is  he  Mt  gedureth.  *^  And  Auaricia.  is  he  Mt 
kepith. 


The  ei-^the  commaundment  of  god  is  Pis. 

Odauum  ma^idatum.  Non  loquaris  falsum  testimonium,  contra 
pvoximum  tuum.  ^  That  is.  I'ou  schalt  nojth  bere  no  fals 
wittnes  agaynes  J)i  nei^bitr.  neij>er  for  loue.  ne  for  no  fauttr. 
ne  for  no  drede.  ne  for  no  luk»r  of  wynnynge  of  worldly  good, 
ffor  an  pou  do.  ]>ou  brekest  )'is  co?/ima?(ndement.  Acordinge 
hirto.  Ill  leuitico.  xix.  Non  consideres  personam  pauperis  i  nee 
uultum  potentis.  set  iuste  iudica  proximo  tuo.  Mathei.  x.  Et  noliie 
timere  eos  qui  occidunt  corpus!  animam  autem  non  possxmt  ocddere. 
Set  pocius  eum  timere.  qui  potest  &  animam  &  corpus  perdere  in  gehen- 
nam.  i.  iimothei.  v.  Nichil  faciens  in  aliam  partem  declinando. 
^  Agaynes  ]ns  commandeme/ite  doos  ]'ai.  ]'at  wilfully  putteth  J>am  to  book 
ooj'e.  or  \n  Jnnge  pat  is  dowtabul.  or  in  plesinge  to  ony  man  for  fau ur. 
bot  it  ^  were  in  aful  iuste  cause  &  se\.ur.  ne  for  noon  euil  wille.  or  for 
to  hindur  woon.  &  \n  fo)>eringe  of  anofer.  I.  sai  ]'0  ]mt  doon  so  synnen 
deedly.  &  slen  gostly.  •[[  Also '  agaynes  )ns  co??unau?tdement  doos  al 
fals  recordurs.  gylur us.  glosers.  flatwrers  Bacbiteres.  ^  detracturus. 
wriers.  &  scorners.  &  lyers.  defamurs.  &  euyll  co?iselurs  &  lesynmu/i- 
gers.  &  bosters.     And  ]'0  ]mt  sayin  agaynes  co/jsciens.  &  fals  bre])eren. 

>  Above  the  line  by  B.  ^  Altered  from  Al  by  B. 

'  Altered  from  bocbiteres  by  B. 


32  James  Finch  Royster 

and  flas  feyued  frendes  &  euil  tisers.  &  fals  expositures  of  holy  writte. 
Prophet.  Beati  qui  custodiunt  iudicium  &  faciunt  iusticiam  in  omni 
tempore.  fFor  ])e  mowje  ]'at  lieth.  sleeth  ]^e  saule  ^  Araan  schulde  not 
maken  alesynge  for  noon  or]'eliche  maunes  profit '.  for  aman  sal  not 
harme  his  awne*?  saule.  for  to  help  an  no]>er  manes  body, 
(col.  2)  -g^^  Tii\)eY  ]>an   aman  schulde  maken  alesynge  it  were 

betur  to  halden  his  pees,  if  j'at  he  darnot.  or  wolnot  say  J^e  soj'e.  for 
hinderinge  of  him  j'at  he  dredith  or  loueth.  ^  Neuerles  perfeccion 
wolde  in  alle  causus  aman  schulde  sai  ]>e  so]>e.  And  also  j'ai  ]>at 
haldeth  ]^ev  pees.  &  saith  not  ]'e  sothe  ]>ou5  fai  konne.  wen  ]>a\  been 
askud.  ^  Also  m  ]ns  commatmdement  is  for  boden  specially  in  for- 
sweringe  oponly  to  fore  aiuges  man  beringe  fals  wittnes.  And  alle 
oj'er  p/-iuy  for  sweringes  in  alle  causus.  And  alle  fals  excusacions. 
And  alle  fals  wittnes  for  drede.  loue.  or  fauwr.  or  for  wratthe.  or  for 
enuye.  And  alle  glosinges.  &  flatei-inges.  ^  So  by  \ns  cowimaunde- 
mente.  aman  schulde  not  halde  wit/i  his  awne  fad?<r.  ne  with  noon 
o]>er  freend  in  ]ns  world  in  afals  querel.  ne  in  noon  fals  opynion.  ne  in^ 
conselle.  for  if  ]>at  he  do  so  witynly.  J^an  doos  he  agaynes  his  consciens. 
And  in  j'at  aman  sueth  j'e  wille  of  j'e  flesch  &  noi^th  of  J>e  saule. 
romanorum.  viij.  Si  enim  secnudum  carnem  vi.reritis.  moriemini. 
And  if  j'at  we  lijfen  aftur  j'e  wille  of  j'e  flesch.  we  schulen  be  deed, 
flfor  geef  aman  folueth  j'e  wille  of  j'e  flesch.  in  as  miche  he  berith  fals 
wittnes  agaynes  j'e  saule  In  deutronomio.  xxiiij.  Non  occidentur  patres 
pro  filijs  nee  filij  pro  frsLtribvs.  set  vnusquisque  pro  peccato  morietur. 
•fj  Agay  j'is  co?»ma;mdement  do  j'ai.  j'at  asoyleth  j'ani  ]mt  j'ai  may  not 
asoyle.  Or  byudeth  j'am  j'at  j'ai  schulde  not  bynde  with  kursinges. 
And  j'ai  J'at  prechen  fals  agaynes  holy  chirche.  And  J'ai  J'at  auant- 
theth  "^  Jjan  of  kwmynge  &  crafte  j'at  j'ai  konne  noi?the.  ^  In  deut- 
ronomio. XX.  vij.  Maledictus  homo  qui  peruertit  iudicinm  aduene.  & 
pupilli.  &  vidue. 


>  Above  the  line  by  A.  '  Altered  from  ananthtih  by  B. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments         "3 


The  neythe  commaundement  of  god. 

Nonum  mandatmn.     Non  concupisces  uxorem  proximi  tui.     That 
is.   I.   co7nma?ide  jow.  ]>at  je^  desire,  ne  couet  noist  jowre 
nei^b^tres   wiif.    ne   his    dou^twr.    ne    bis    seruant    man    ne 
woman,  neijnw  be  ^  way  of  syn  '.   ne  be  way  of  wro7ige 
^  ^  ■       ^  ^  In  )>e  sijste  cowimawndement  is  forboden  ]'e  dede  of 

lechere.  &  ]'e  wilful  co7isent  ]>erto.  saf  wit/tin  ])e  hooly  sao'ament  of 
wedlack.  ^  And  in  ]ns  cojumandement  ]>e  ^  wille  of  ]'e  syn  is  forbo- 
den. And  not  oonly  J)e  wille  of  ]>at  deede  of  ]mt  syn.  bot  also  ]'e  wille 
&  J^e  desire  to  haf  ony  occasions  to  do  lechere.  &  flesly  steringes.  or 
delectacions  in  ]>e  fleche.  ffor  luste  euer  maketh  pe  syn.  So  ]?at  god 
commattndeth  clannes  of  body  from  alle  maner  fleschely  dedes  of 
lechery  out  of  trewe  wedlacke.  ^  And  alle  so  al  ^  clanes  of  herte. 
fro?n  unlauful  couetinge.  &  desiringe  of  j'e  dede  of  lechere.  and  also 
alle  lechures  delectacions.  ^  The  woman  ]?at  taketh  ano]>er  man  few 
hir  howsboonde.  scho  defilijth  hir  howsboonde  bed.  witA  a  titul  of 
forsakynge.  And  }'e  man  on  }'e  same  ^  maner  to  ]'e  wijf.  Seint 
paule '  seis  it  is  agret  sacrament,  and  ho  is  defectif.  hit  wol  not  been 
unpynisched  greuesly.  ^  ffornichaturKS  and  avoutrerus  god  salle 
deme  ]>am  That  is  in  a  special  doom  be  here  self,  he  is 
•g  ossa.  aglotunws  lechur.  ]>at  hath  of  his  awne  Inowje.  &  stelith 

oper  menus.  And  ]>er  fore  he  sail  be  py niched,  for  lechere.  for 
gloto7me.  &  J'efthe.  ^  Ad  hebreos.  xiij.  ffornicatores.  et  adulteros 
iudicabit  deus.  id  est.  in  speciali  iudicio.  honorabile  connibium  in 
omnibus,  et  thorns  in  maculatus.  Ad  ephesios.  6.  Sacremientum.  hoc 
magnum  est. 


^  Above  the  line  by  B.  ^  Altered  from  pern  by  B. 

'^  la  the  margin  by  A. 


34  James  Finch  Boyster 


The  tenthe  commaundement  of  god. 

NOn  concupisces  rem  proximi  tui.  %  That  is.  J>ou  schalt  not 
desire  J'ine  nei5b^<res  good.  That  is  to  say.  ]>o\i  schalt  not 
couette  }'i  neibM?-es  hows,  ne  his  seruant.  ne  man  ne  woman 
fat  perteyneth  to  him  hot  in  good  consciens.  ne  his  ox.  ne  his  hors.  ne 
his  asse.  ne  no  good  of  his  is  Avrongely.  neper  for  labwr  neper  in  byinge 
ne  in  sellynge  ne  bargenige.  ne  in  takynge.  nei]'er  )?i  self,  ne  noon  oper 
bi  pe.  prouerbioTum.  xxviij.  Princeps  qui  libenter  audit  ^  mendaci  om- 
nes  ministros  habet  impios  Qnia  scriptum  est.  Os  quod  mentitur  occidit 
animam.  &  pevdes  omnes  qui  locuntur^  mendacium. 
^*^°  ■    ^  ^  Also  pon  schalt  not  haf  ]n   neibwres  good^  be  byinge 

of  plee  or  bargenige  for  )n  profit  &  to  ^  his  harme.  so  pat  jjou  schalt 
not  for  couetise  of  his  good  be  gyle  him  wilfully  be  no  maner  sotilte  in 
bargenijige  to  byen  of  him  knowings  wel.  pat  he  schulde  harmed 
perhi.  ^  And  also,  if  fat  ]>i  nei^bwr  haue  afinge  pat  he  haath.  &  is 
not  wille  for  to  leue  it  &  lijtly  it  wol  stonden  him  in  stede  anoj'er 
tyme.  &  f ou  desireste  it  fro  him  1  )>an  fou  kepiste  not  f is  comman  de- 
ment. %  And  als  so  if  pat  fou  plede  wrongesly  Vfith  ony  man  for  his 
good,  and  fou^e  fat  f ou  gete  it  noijth  witA  f i  plee  fat  is  wronge '. 
owfer  his  howse.  or  his  londe.  be  maistri.  as  f i  desire.  &  wille  were, 
jet  doos  fou  agaynes  fe  commaundement.  And  also,  if  fat  fou  desir- 
este ony  mawnm  deeth.  for  his  heritage,  or  for  ony  of er  good,  fan  fou 
doost  agaynes  f is  co^nmaundement.  ^  Also  f is  co7nmau7idement  for- 
bedith.  alle  maner  wronges.  &  fals  couetise.  &  sleijtus.  &  cautelis.  for 
to  haue  f i  neijbtires  good  wrangely  &  agaynes  his  wille.  ffor  fou  schalt 
not  desire  wilfully,  ne  scheche  no  good  of  his  fat  he  hath  un  rijtwes  fat 
were  agaynes  his  wille  for  to  leuen.  Ne  ]>ou  schalt  not  by  of  him.  bot 
fat  he  may  selle  f  e  laufully.  nof  er  lond  ne  renthe.  ne  noon  of  er  finge 
knawinge  to  f  e  bot  in  alle  truths.  &  iustenes.  ffor  f  is  is  haly  scriptur. 
confermynge  of  f e  ten  commaundementis  of  god.  And  takuth  heed, 
of  rex  achab.  &  of  nabot.  Non  concupisces  domihm.  proximi  tui.  secun- 
dum Augustitium.    hie  prohibet  concitpicenciam  reialiene  immobilis. 

^  Altered  from  audite  by  the  erasing  of  the  e. 

'  In  the  margin  by  A.  ^  Above  the  line  by  A. 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments        35 

Non  desiderabis  uxorem  eius.  non  seruum  nee  ancillam.  non  bouem. 
non  asiiium.  nee  omnia  que  illius  sunt.  ^  Hie  prohibit  concupicenciam 
rei  mobilis.  secundu??i.  Origemim.  tamen  unum  est  ^jrecep^wm. 
^  Zacharie  piophete.  v.  Ego  video  volumen  volans.  longitudo  eius.  xx. 
eubitorum.  &  latitudo  eius.  x.  cubitorum.  &  dixit  ad  me.  Hec  est 
maledixio  que  egredietur  super  faciem  omnis  terre.  quia  omnis/ur  sicut 
ibi  so'iptum  est  iudicabitur.  Et  omnis  iurans  ex  hoc  similiter  ixcdica- 
bitur.  'Educam.  illud  dicit  dominus  exteri.  &  veniet  ad  domum  Juris. 
&  ad  dovium.  iurantis.  in^  nomine  meo  mendaciter.  et 
(fol.  1      )  commorabitur^  in  medio^  domus  eius.  &  conswyiet  eum. 

&  ligna  eius.  &  lapides.  &  cetera.  Math.  vij.  Omnia  ergo  quecumque 
uultis  ut  faciant  vobis  homines.  &  vos  facile  illis.  hec  est  enim  lex  & 
prophete.  Non  omnis  qui  dicit  michi.  domme.  domine.  intrabit  in 
regnum  celorum.  set  qui  facit  voluntatem  patris  mei  qui  in  celis  est. 
Luce.  vj.  Quid  autem  vocastis  me  domine.  domine.  &  nonfacitis  que 
dico  f  lohannes.  xiiij.  Si  diligitis  me.  mandata  mea  seniate.  Mathei. 
xix.  Si  vis  ingredi  ad  uitam  serua  mandata.  Qui  nobis  concedat.  qui 
uiuit.  &  regnat. 


^  In  the  margin  by  A. 


NOTES 


p.  9,  1.  21  ille  clearly  for  ilke.  1.  22  faf  for  saf.  1.  24  Between  kepe  and  Ais  a 
word  has  been  completely  scratched  over. 

P.  10,  I.  1  Eoson.  So  the  MS.  The  difference  between  o  and  «  in  the  writing 
is  so  slight  that  the  two  letters  were  easily  confused.  1.  21  langes  for  landes. 
1.  25  chirderen  for  childeren. 

P.  11,  1.  10  man  &  wemen  for  man  &  woman.  1.  35  After  god  three  words  have 
been  written  in  the  margin  by  B.  The  second  of  these  words  may  be  either  />e  or 
/>i.  The  last  word  cannot  be  read  with  any  degree  of  certainty  ;  seemingly  it  is 
fauer,  though  it  may  be  trauell.  Either  of  these  readings  makes  good  sense.  The 
added  phrase  is  not  absolutely  necessary. 

P.  12,  1.  2  shaplokur.  Cf.  Kluge,  Paul's  Grundriss,  1060.  1.  15  isrle  for  israele. 
1.  23  sauuls  for  saluus. 

P.  13,  1.  32  for  to  with  ho  stall,  etc.  =for  to  wit  who  stall,  etc. 
P.  14,  1.  1  And  of,  etc.  probably  for  As.    1. 1  hues.    It  seems  certain  that  soues= 
sieves  is  intended  and  that  it  is  a  reference  to  the  practice  described  by  Brand, 
Popular  Antiquities,  iii,  35  ff.     1.  14  dunnancia  for  dirdnacio,  which  probably  was 
in  the  original  from  which  the  scribe  was  copying  diuindcio,  the  a,  of  course, 
being  a  mistake  for  a.     1.  16  ydolatriam  for  ydolatna.     1.  35  gegor  for  gregor. 
P.  15,  1.  29  semetwel.     One  word  in  the  MS. 
P.  16,  1.  22  At  the  foot  of  fol.  121b  : 

2.  petri.  2.  \  Melius  enim  erat  eis  non  cognoscere  viam  iusticie.  guam  post 
agnieionem  retrorsum  conuerti  ab  eo  quod  illis  tr&ditum  est  sancto  mandato. 
ysidorus  de  swmmo.  6ono.  Tanto  enim  mains  cognoscitur  pticca.tum  ess«. 
quanta  enim  maior  qui peccatoT  [^—peccat'}  habetur. 

ac^uum.  5.  ^  Obedire  oportet  deo  magis  quam  hominibus.  dedit  dens 
spiritwm  sanctu»«  omntJus  obedientibus  sibi. 

(/rcf/orius.     Si  ueraciter  christianus  esse,  plus  dei  iudicium  quain  hominis 
voces  timer es. 
1.  23  man  for  maner. 
P.  16  Gloss,  1.  5  perdes  for  perdcL 

P.  17,  1.  1  me  for  men.  1.  12  commaundemetis  for  commaundcmentis.  1.  15  Quia 
for  qui.     1.  16  adhibem  for  adhibet. 

P.  18,  1.  24  intandam  for  uitandam.  1.  2G  swe  for  sivere.  1.  28  \>e  for  \>er.  1.  30 
quod  est.    So  the  MS. 

37 


38  James  Finch  Royster 

P.  19,  1.  10  sau^th  for  sawj. 

P.  21, 1.  17  have  evidently  is  omitted  between  &  and  rewarde.  1.  24  gorie  for  <;?orie. 
P.  22,  1.  7  Supply  es<t«  between  potentes  and  ad,     "Fisi  for  vivi.     missendum  for 
miseendam.     1.  9  At  the  bottom  of  fol.  122  b  : 

^  In  exodom.  xij.  xiij.    Dies  prima  erit  sancta  [atque]  solempnis.  et  dies  sep- 

tima  eadem  festiuitate  venerabilis.  nichil  operis  facietis  in  eis.  exceptis  hijs  que 

ad  vescendam  peTlinent.  et  ohseruabitis  azima.  31.  35.  In  leuitico.  £3.    ^  locutus 

est  dovainus  ad  moysen  dicens.    Decimo  die  mensis  huins  septimi'  dies  expia- 

cionis  erit  celebrrimus.  &.   vocabiim  sanetns.  Affligetisque  animus  vestras  in  eo. 

&   offeretis  holocastvLxn   domino.      Omne  opus  seruile  non  facietis  in  tempore 

diei  huius  '  qnia  dies  propiciacionis  est.  ut  propicieiur  vobis  dominws  deus 

fester.     Omnis  anima  que  afflicta  nonfuerit  die  hac.  peribit  de  popnlis  suis. 

Et  que  operis  quippiam  fecerit  '  delebo  earn  de  populo  suo.     Nichil  ergo  operis 

facietis  in  eo.     Legittimum  sempiternum  erit  vobis  in  cunctus  generacionibns. 

&   ha.bitacionibns   vestris.     Sabbatum  requiescionis   est.    [et]  affligetis  animas 

vestras   die  nono  mensis.     A  uespera  usque  ad  uesperam  '.    celebritis  sabbata 

ueatra  dicit  dominus  oj?inip[o/ens]. 

1.  14  ruson.-  boast,  praise,  extoll.     Cf.  Wright,  Dial.  Did.,  q.  v.     1.  26  sad: 

sated.    1.  30  tume :  empty  ;  Scotch  toom.    Skeat  denies  that  the  word  is  O.  E.  and 

takes  it  as  a  Norse  borrowing,  Icel.  tomr.     Wall  {Ang.,  xx,  135)  cites  O.  E.  torn 

(only  in  poetry)  and  Low  German  tomi.    He  includes  tume  among  the  words  that 

that  may  be  of  either  English  or  Scandinavian  origin. 

P.  23,  1.  9  beoth.  An  unusual  form  at  this  date.  Again  we  may  have  here  a 
careless  confusion  of  e  and  o,  or  it  may  be  that  beoth  is  a  form  brought  directly 
over  from  the  text  that  the  scribe  was  copying,  which  probably  was,  as  in  many 
other  instances,  a  very  old  text.  1.  25  sluse  probably  for  slu-g\>e.  Cf.  vio%L'^e  for 
mow5\>e  (p.  32,  1.  3).  The  scribe  may  have  intended  s/mJjc,  mistaking  5  for  J>. 
Strattmann  records :  sleu\>e,  slau]>e,  slou]>e,  sleu^\>e,  slauh'^e.  1.  30  festiuus  for 
festiuis. 

P.  24,  1.  10  bre  for  breke.  1.  16  gar  lett.  Interesting  tautology,  which  is  to  be 
accounted  for,  probably,  by  the  difference  of  usage  in  the  scribe's  dialect  and  that 
of  the  copy  he  was  following. 

P.  25,  1.  1  caiherizatur  for  cathetizatur.    1.  5  quae  is  omitted  between  operantur 
and  de.     1.  18  vocabitus  for  vocabitur.     1.  28  solus  for  solis. 
P.  26,  1.  15  huger  for  hunger. 

P.  28,  1.  14  longer.  The  contraction  over  the  e  in  the  MS.  is  surely  that  used 
for  er.  Longe  is,  of  course,  intended.  1.  23  cussynf/esV  kissinges.  clippinges : 
embracings.  Clyppynge  or  kyssynge,  or  towchynge  of  lyth.  Myrc,  Instruction  for 
Parish  Priests,  p.  39.  ragynges :  wanton  playing.  1.  31  homlynes :  intimacy, 
familiarity.  Cf.  N.  E.  D.,  and  Wright,  Dial.  Diet.,  q.  v.  Not  in  Strattmann. 
halkus  and  hemes  :  corners  and  recesses.  A  conventional  pairing.  Speght's 
Chaucer  (1598),  Address  to  Chaucer  :  "Where  hast  thou  dwelt  good  Geffrey  al 


A  Middle  English  Treatise  on  the  Ten  Commandments        39 

this  while  ?  ...  In  haulkus,  and  heme,   God  wot,  and  in  exile."      Trevissa 
(Rolls  Series),  i,  9  :   "  Dedalus  haus  ha}>  many  halkes  and  hurnes."  Balis  Raving 
(E.  E.  T.  S. ),  p.  121  :   "  In  cauernys  and  in  ernes." 
P.  30,  1.  7  At  the  foot  of  fol.  124  b  : 

IS.  Ad  hebreos.  Honorabile  connubium  in  omnibus.  &  thorus  inmaculatus. 
ffornieatores  &  adulter os  iudicabil  deus.  id  est  in  speciali  iudieio.  .5.  Ad  ephe- 
sios.  Sacramentum  hoc.  magnum  est.  Ysidorus.  de  summo.  bono.  Principaliter 
hunc  duobus  vicijs  diabolus  humano  generi  dominatur.  id  est  per  superbiam 
mentis  &  luxuriam  carnis.  per  hec  duo  vicia  diabolns  humanum  possidet  genns. 
ut  dura  mentem  erigit.  vel  dum  per  luxuriam  carnem  corrumpit. 
Breuis  est  voluptas  fornieacionis  ■   set  perpetua  est  pena  fornicantis. 
1.  8  wedues,  widows.  OE.  widuwe.  Promp.  Parv.  widue.    1.  24  sten/>e  for  stren/>e. 
1.  33  hatradon.     The  N.  E.  D.  records  hatreden,  haterdyn  and  haatredyn,  but  not 
the  form  here. 
P.  31,  1.  5  At  the  foot  of  fol.  125  : 

Actns.  X.  In  veritate  comperi[o]  ^uoniam  non  personamm  acceptor  deus' 
set  in  omni  gente  que  timet  [eum].  et  operatnr  iusticiam  acceptus  est  illi. 
1.  29  recordurs :    witnesses,    glosers :    flatteres,  decievers.    1.  30  wriers :   ac- 
cusers. 

P.  32,  1.  1  flas  for/afe.  risers  ;  enticers.     1.  3  mowge  for  mow5\>e.     1.  25  Agay  for 
Agagnes.     1.  28  >a7i  for  ]>am. 
P.  33,  1.  1  neythe  for  neynthe. 

P.  34,  1.  7  bargenige  for  bargeninge.      1.  8  verba  omitted   between  audit  and 
mendacij.     1.  10  At  the  foot  of  fol.  125  b  : 

Zacharie  prophe^e.     ^  Loquimini   ueritatem    unusquisqwe   cum  proximo 
suo  ueritatem  &  indicium  pacis  indicate  in  portis  vestris.  &  unusqwisqwe 
malum  contra  amicuni  suum  ne  cogitetis  in  cordibus  vcsiris.  &  iuramentum 
meum  verax  ne  diligatis.     Omnia  enim  hec  sunt  que  odi  dicit  dommws. 
1.  12  bargenige.     Again  the  second  n  is   omitted.     1.  14  be  is  omitted  be- 
tween schulde  and  harmed. 

P.  35,  1.  8  exteri  for  exercitum.     1.  9  At  the  foot  of  fol.  126  : 

.^cclesiastici.  xxiij.  Virmultum  iurans  replebitur  iniqaitate.  &  non  discedat 
a  domo  eius  plaga. 
1.  15  vocastis  for  vocatis. 


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